An Equal Fate
by Olirin
Summary: Edward never returned after he left Bella in the forest. After Bella's violent death, Edward makes it his life mission to protect what Bella left behind; her daughter. In doing so Edward discovers his second chance for love. Full summary enclosed.
1. prologue

**FULL SUMMARY:** Edward never returns for Bella after he leaves her in the woods. He wants her to lead a normal life and that is what she does. She moves on and after college, marries and begins a family. She has twin babies, one boy and one girl. Victoria slips into her life unnoticed by the Cullens and takes what she believed is hers. After Bella's violent death Edward dedicates his life to finding Victoria and having his revenge…until he finds his second chance at happiness in an unlikely place. A girl that looks so much like Bella, but is so different. Maybe this was Edward's fate all along, and this time he won't let anything ruin it. Non-canon, AU, New Moon

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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Tearing through the thick trees, dodging branch and thought. The faster I surged forth, the faster I could escape any memory of her.

The cold wind slapped my colder face as the elation of sprinting waned. I began to slow my pace, listening to the trees around me for the sounds of my potential prey.

Images flashed unbidden through my mind.

Red hair. Red blood…pooling red blood. I froze in surprise as the vision took me over.

Familiar deep brown eyes, and two pairs of piercing green eyes. And so much blood!

Fear rippled up my spine and I heard Alice gasp a few meters behind me.

The vision played out silently before us in the dark night. As the vision became darker and more horrific, Alice let out an ear splitting scream of bloody murder, calling the attention of the rest of our family from somewhere within the bracken. My stomach dropped and my nerves buzzed with artificial adrenaline. I could feel the pressure of panic building behind my eyes.

Before another second lapsed, I was off. I did not know where I was running. I only knew that I had to stop this darkness. My Bella!

It had been 9 years since I had left Bella along the forest path to another life. I did what I thought was best for her. If she was dead it was my fault and my fault alone. How did I always manage to be so wrong? It seemed inevitable that any choice I made would be of some disservice to Bella of varying severity. I had gambled with her life. I had gambled with the life of my true love. I had gambled and lost it all.

As I approached the edge of the forest I suddenly caught the scent of something familiar…something too good to be true…

As I approached the shore of the ocean where our family home was located, the beautiful scent of freesia became stronger and more brilliant.

Mine.

My Bella.

Bella was here somewhere! But how could it be so? She should be in Russia with her new family. Her new husband and twin babies. Living the life that I could never have given her.

The rain soaked through my thin jacket as we left the protection of the forest canopy.

The ocean crashed against the rocks surrounding our family home, spraying violently against the shore.

When the house itself came into view, my stomach dropped and my long dead heart echoed in my veins.

Something felt very wrong, although I could not tell what. I was suddenly hesitant. Alice had been at my heals since the vision, and I spun around to look into her terrified face. Her mind was quite. No further visions inundated us. Her wild eyes belied the stillness of her stance and sent alarm racing within me.

My other family members were not far behind, with confused and worried looks on their faces.

Something was very wrong.

I was off again, racing to the house and up the elegant steps of our front porch. Bella's scent was all around me now…laced with something sinister. The smell that spoiled the perfection was also familiar, and the recognition confirmed my greatest fear.

Victoria.

And there it was. Face down on the wet wood, was a letter. I picked it up with shaking hands. I could already see what was written playing out in Alice's mind, burning into my retinas, but I could not believe it was so. I felt myself choking on fear and misery. Grief beyond what I thought possible for one lacking a soul. Written in a crazed print. Written in red.

A mate for a mate.

**END NOTES:** I am hoping that this will be a multi-chapter story. I have the plot mapped out and I think it will flow quite quickly. Please review if you believe that this is something I should pursue. This was meant to be somewhat choppy and hysterical. This should not set the tone for the story. The next chapter will jump 18 years into the future.


	2. Train Station

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Grande Central Station – New York

I was buzzing from anxiety at the possibility of catching her today. Although part of me knew it would not be so as she seemed incredibly skilled at evading me, or any member of my family for that matter. It would appear that she was well aware of Alice and her special ability and was able to manipulate it to her own benefit. I had come to realize that Victory possessed her own special ability; escape. But if she could manage my family, it must be possible for me to manage her. I had been two steps behind her for 18 years now. However, 18 years was nothing to me. I had already decided from somewhere deep within me that I would not give up until she burned. And as she burned I would watch and revel. I would laugh at her demonically as she had laughed at Bella's pain. My Bella. I tried to not to picture the police documents and the photos from the crime scene, although it was ingrained in my mind like no other memory. Bella's husband had been out of town with the ballet company and Bella had been alone with her two small children. The twins were barely one year old when they witnessed the violent murder of their mother. They sat writhing and screaming in their mother's blood for almost a day before they were found by a neighbor. Bella had been tortured beyond what any human could bear.

I shook my head to rid myself of the memory. My stomach twisted and turned as I stood up abruptly to grab a newspaper. I had to keep my thoughts and physical being busy to elude these images, but they were powerful and binding.

I felt eyes on the back of my neck, and my arm hair stood on end. I slowly turned my head and through the crowd I saw her. The satanic smile. The long red hair. As she smiled at me, images of Bella were exhibited in her mind. Images of what she had done to Bella and how Bella had screamed and cried my name, followed by images of two small children with green eyes. As the perpetual fury overcame me, I growled under my breath and her smile broadened. She was standing on the opposite platform in a crowd of people. I was helpless to reach her without exposing myself, but something told me that even if I leapt across the tracks after her it would be all for naught. I stood there powerless to act out on my greatest desire and could only watch her with riled hatred as the train came between us and cut off my vision. I approached the train as quickly as I dared and the second the doors opened I stepped onto the train. I searched for her in the train car in vain. I halfheartedly walked up and down the isle searching. And then, as it had 18 years ago and 19 years ago, the smell of freesia hit me, almost knocking me off my feet. Bella. My nerve endings hummed as my eyes darted vehemently for the source of the beautiful scent. My eyes met with a pair of curios green eyes. Eyes the color of jade. A boy stood watching me from near the door. He casually held onto the smudged metal bar as the train swayed with each turn. I froze as I looked closer. He was so familiar. He had a heart shaped face and is upper lip was slightly larger than his lower lip and flawless pale white skin. His hair was about the same length as mine and equally unkempt. It stood in all directions in a wavy jet black mess, yet somehow fashionable. Although his eyes were a sharp green, they had the depth of the eyes that I had loved for 19 years. Bella's eyes. I listened carefully as I focused in on him and realized with happiness and frustration that I could not hear his thoughts. They were hidden from me as Bella's thoughts had been hidden. I suddenly became aware that we had been staring at each other, him with curiosity and me with wonder. He politely turned away and refocused on the advertisements above the window of the train. I was already forgotten. But I would never forget him. This was Bella's baby. This was Bella's son, I was certain. In my fascination I had forgotten about Victoria, and as the memory of her resurfaced I was struck with a renewed fear. Is it possible that this is the reason she is here in New York? Is she here to threaten the product of my sacrifice? I knew immediately what her intention was and I knew with every fiber of my being that I could not let it be so. I would protect Bella's son. I quietly made a promise to Bella that I would insure the safety of her family and allow them to live the life that I had so wished for her.

As the train came to the next stop, the boy exited and I followed behind at a distance. After a transfer I followed him out of the subway to Lincoln Center toward Julliard. Is this where he went to school? Was he a musician? Was he a dancer like his father? I was surprised (and consumed with a burning rage) when I heard the news that Bella had married the famous Russian ballet dancer Ivan Meretskov. He was world renowned and handsome. I had seethed with jealousy and anger and my temper only flared more when Alice had reminded me that this is what I had hoped for. And I had hoped for Bella to find happiness. Bella was extraordinary so naturally she should end up with a man that was also extraordinary. My spies (for I could never be forced to see for myself) ensured me that Ivan was a loving husband and treated Bella with deep respect and admiration. They had lived in Russia together and Bella taught English at the Saint Petersburg State University until she gave birth to twins. A year later, she was dead. I knew that Ivan Meretskov had raised his two beautiful children with love and for that I was grateful. It had been 10 years since I had asked Alice about them. I had assumed they were safe, but I should have known that they could not be safe while Victoria remained in this world. And for that I would end her.

It was the last day of the semester before Christmas break, and the campus was teaming with students and energy. Performances and final exams were in the forefront of the minds of most. I could understand this as I knew from first hand experience how consuming the arts could be.

I continued to followed the boy into the school keeping my senses alert as to whether we had been followed by the demon. When I was sure she had not followed us, I felt at ease and excited to be so close to something that was so much a part of Bella. The boy walked with an easy grace. He was quite tall, perhaps a little shorter than me, with broad shoulders. I could hear from the female minds surrounding him that I had some competition for the most beautiful creature in the room. I felt a swell of pride that my Bella had created such a beautiful child. I was curious to learn more about him.

"Yuri!" I heard a female voice call from behind me. I turned in time to see a petite blonde haired girl rushing past me to the boy's side. He smiled politely as the girl clumsily dropped her sheet music all over the floor and he bent down to help her recover the documents. She flushed embarrassed.

_I am such a klutz!_ She thought. _Why is it that whenever I see Yuri I fumble everything. He makes me so nervous! Just look at those eyes!_ She stood up as she retrieved the last of the papers from Yuri.

"I am sorry to bother you, but I was hoping that you might consider accompanying me for a few performance pieces next semester?" She asked hopefully. "It is just that last semester my pianist and I lacked chemistry and I know that you are the best there is." She flattered uncomfortably. _So talented. So beautiful! _

Ah, so he was a pianist then. I beamed inwardly.

"Thank you, and I do believe that can be managed." He said with a hint of a Russian accent. Even his voice sounded like Bella.

The two conversed for a few minutes, making arrangements for next semester, and I observed his mannerisms. So like his mother in the sense that I could tell he was not quite comfortable around other people, but very graceful and confident. Those characteristics must belong to his father. After a few minutes of speaking with the gushing girl, Yuri graciously excused himself and I followed him to the practice rooms. It had been several decades since I had posed as a student at Juilliard and I found myself longing to attend classes here. The years that I had spent as a student at Juilliard were some of the best years of my pre-Bella life. Music was my sole purpose in life back then. My sole purpose, second only to blood. I should never let myself forget who I am.

I followed Yuri (what a lovely name) down the hallway to the practice rooms and sat outside listening to him play for several hours. I lost myself in his playing. His playing was almost unnatural, as though he himself were a vampire. He was working on the Rach 3. How fitting. Definitely dark and Russian. When he was finished I heard him cursing to himself within the room and the sound of a pencil scribbling wildly over paper. He exited a few minutes later and I ducked around a corner. As I followed him out into the main corridor of the entrance Yuri stopped. I somehow felt his energy shift as he stood perfectly still. He looked all around him as though he sensed a presence. At first I thought that is was me that he was sensing and I stopped breathing as his eyes searched though the students in the corridor. Finally his eyes landed somewhere within the crowd and I too took in his subject. As my eyes fell on her I halted. The whole world halted. Electricity shot through my veins and fire roared within my brain. I could not bring myself back to reality and surely this was a dream. Standing in the corridor was a young woman with intense green eyes. Her hair was a stormy mess of thick wavy jet black hair that fell down to the curve of her lower back. Her skin was snow white and almost transparent. Her lips and face shape were so like Bella that my legs began to shake and I felt dizzy. She was a little shorter than Bella, but lithe and lissome. While Bella's beauty was quiet, this girl's beauty was shocking. Jarring. Intense. Not in your face like Rosalie, but soft and elegant. And so perfect. My insides squirmed uncomfortably and excitedly. I felt an incredible pull that I had never felt before. I feared that it would consume me. As if she could feel the energy that I was expelling her eyes found mine and my heart leapt. At first she stared blankly in my direction. Then a look of uncertainty crossed her face and she stood entirely still. Yuri walked toward her smiling, but as he saw her expression he turned to search for what she was looking at and his eyes found mine as well. As they both took me in I took a few steps back and turned. As the emotions came crashing down around me I did the only thing I knew how to do these days. I ran.

A/N: So here is my second chapter. If I get some encouragement I will update weekly. I am in this for the long haul. I really hope that you liked it.


	3. Juilliard

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

For the next two weeks I guarded them against their unknown demon. I watched silently from the shadows and was constantly vigilant to ensure their safety. They seemed elated at having the semester over and they spent time together chatting happily in rapid Russian. They always walked in perfect symmetry, seemingly anticipating the others movements and accommodating them. They also seemed to have the same impulses at the same moment and if one of their hands would fly into the air in gesture, the other would mirror it subconsciously. Aside from the height difference, they looked very similar indeed. They shared the exact same green eyes the color of jade and the same silky black hair. Facial expressions and mannerisms were also identical. It was disquieting and cute wrapped into one.

I soon learned that Yuri's sister was named Yeva and she was a ballet student at Juilliard. I had to admire the irony that Bella's child would grow up to be a ballerina. It was too amazing. She was graceful and passionate, but very serious and solitary. Actually, aside from Yuri I did not see her socialize much at all. She spent most of her time reading and practicing her dance. Yuri and Yeva shared a loft style apartment in a shaky old brick building. The apartment was cramped and ancient, yet stylish and laden with a profuse amount of books scattered here and there.

Yuri seemed overly protective of his sister and he seemed to love her more than life. Yeva relied heavily on her brother and seemed to look up to him. It filled me with joy to study them and there was something growing within me that I could not explain, but as I looked upon Yeva I felt like weeping. She was so perfect and I was such a monster for once again putting an innocent at risk. I would not let anything happen to her. To either of them.

I stayed on guard for the Christmas holiday. I watched as they decorated their small tree and Yuri played Christmas carols on the small upright piano while Yeva sang along. They drank copious amounts of vodka, much to my dismay, and slept on the floor by the Christmas tree in a pile of blankets and pillows on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning they spoke with their father (who was still in Moscow) on the phone, and exchanged small gifts. I was pleased to see the consternation in Yeva's eyes when she opened the present that Yuri had given her. Like her mother she found it difficult to except gifts! I laughed quietly to myself as the nostalgia washed over me. I suddenly felt very sad.

I also wondered what my family was doing. I had yet to purchase a new cellular phone as my last one had met an untimely end in a recent chase with Victoria. I promised myself I would call them soon, although I was certain that Alice had filled them in on all the details of my current circumstances. I wondered what form of opinion she would have to offer and I smirked to myself as I imagined her excitement.

The end of the Christmas holiday was looming and I was beginning to wonder how I would spread myself out enough to watch after the twins when they began classes. I did not want to attract negative attention by loitering around campus. They had spent the entire holidays together and it was not difficult to protect them, but once they were back at school it would be difficult to keep them both within range, especially without drawing attention to myself. I knew of one option that did sound quite appealing, but would require pulling some strings. I would attempt to enroll in classes for the winter semester. I knew that it would be difficult considering the school was always full and that the application process was cut-throat. However, being a vampire was not without its perks, and I did have the talent to be accepted. As the final days of the holidays progressed I secured my spot in the classes for the semester by calling Carlisle to ask for assistance. I had to admit; I was nervous and excited. Not only for the reason that I would be back in a place that contained so many pleasant memories for me and pursuing my craft, but I would have a reason to be closer to Yuri and Yeva. Should the opportunity arise that I might speak with her, I would not allow it to pass. I did not quite understand the emotions and urges that were arising within me. They were unfamiliar and jolting. I could not say quite yet that what I was feeling was wrong, for this felt nothing like the quiet adoration and soft love that I felt for my beautiful Bella. This felt like fire. A burning deep within my soul. I had no choice…

To what? I had no choice to what?

I shook my head in an attempt to clear the confusion that loomed in my mind, but this was inescapable. It was like a spell. I felt like crying and laughing at once. I felt like she might slip between my fingers at any moment. I did not want to allow these feelings to blind me. I must stay focused in order to do my best to protect Yuri and Yeva.

Having received confirmation from Carlisle of my acceptance, I followed closely behind the twins on the first day back at classes. I tried to remain calm, but a nervous energy ran rampant within me. It felt like the first day of school.

Once I was in the glass doors of the main corridor, I was suddenly confident that I was in for a headache.

"Hmmm, well if it isn't my long lost brother." Said a familiar voice from behind me. I turned around to see Alice in leotard and ballet flats, blinking innocently.

_What are you doing here? I highly doubt that wandering the streets of New York will prove beneficial in finding Victoria. _She asked without speaking.

"What is this you are speaking of?" I scoffed. Honestly, I would not have guessed that she would be questioning my decisions. Before I could question her she continued.

_Well I am not complaining! It has been too long since I put on my ballet flats! So what is the game plan? Is attending Juilliard some scheme for luring Victoria? I didn't realize she was a connoisseur of the arts! _She teased.

If my mind had been clear, I would have assumed that Alice would be here in the hopes of meeting them. I smiled at my own naivety. But what was she on about? Luring Victoria? Did she not agree that I should be protecting Yuri and Yeva or was she merely questioning my motives in consideration of my record? I had hoped that I might carry out this mission without interference.

"Alice I have a renewed vigor and motivation. I cannot leave them unguarded. It is my duty. I don't mind that you are here, but please follow my lead…if you can grasp that concept." I lectured with a smile.

"Excuse me, I don't understand." She looked very confused. I searched her mind for the motive behind her act of ignorance, but found nothing. "Who?" She asked.

"What do you mean, who?" I was actually a little startled. What was Alice playing at?

"Um…Yuri and Yeva naturally. What ever do you mean Alice?" She looked into my eyes like I was crazy.

"Who are Yuri and Yeva? I haven't seen you with anyone while you have been here in New York. Are you O.K. Edward?" She hedged genuinely concerned.

"Bella's children…Alice I have been following them for weeks here. How could you not have seen them?" I was starting to panic. Had I lost my mind? Was I chasing ghosts? I searched the crowd of student looking for them. I spotted Yuri speaking again with the short blonde girl. Relief washed over me, followed by annoyance.

"Bella's children?" Alice questioned, looking even more confused.

"Are you playing games with me Alice beca…" I looked down at Alice and saw her staring slack jawed at Yuri.

"Oh my God…" Alice whispered under her breath. I could see that she recognized him and was seeing him as an adult for the first time. "I don't understand! I cannot see him!"

I watched the images flash through her mind, searching and coming up with nothing. I felt a little unsettled. How peculiar.

"And Bella's daughter is here as well?" She asked studying my face. She seemed to see something there because she smiled. Sometimes I wondered if she really needed her gift at all to see into my future.

However, Alice's smile quickly turned into a look of shock as the severity of the situation hit her.

"Victoria." She whispered. I sighed and held out my hand to her.

"Come now Alice. There are two of them. I can only be spread so thin. And so help me God, I will not let this end badly." Alice nodded gently in understanding and we weaved through the crowd of student to our classes.

I walked into the classroom just ahead of Yuri. I could hear his heart beating and smell the freesia as I walked up the steps into the auditorium. The classroom was brightly lit with industrial florescent lighting. I sat down in the third row silently taking everything in. Yuri came and sat directly to my right nodding to me in acknowledgment. I suddenly felt nervous. He was right here beside me and I could possibly speak with him if I did so desire. He smelled so much like Bella and it sent a shiver up my spine. He slammed his book bag on the concrete floor and unzipped it. He began to rifle through his belongings and pulling our sheet music and notebooks. He plopped the text down on the desk top and shrugged off his black blazer that he wore overtop of his white T-shirt. He then began absently pulling at the loose string of his ripped jean and apparently having some sort of internal debate.

"So…" He said calmly, almost to himself. I was startled out of my observation. "I am pretty sure that I saw you on the train a while back. You looked kind of out of it."

I paused for a moment before I countered.

"I do not recall." I said for lack of a better explanation. I was not expecting instant dialogue and had to focus my words to sound nonchalant. "Although you do look kind of familiar…" I trailed off, pretending to be considering that notion. I finished with a shrug for authenticity.

He smiled warmly at me and held out his hand. I hesitated for a moment and shook his hand firmly. Let him come to whatever conclusion that he will.

"My name is Yuri Meretskov and I am a piano student. And you?" He lilted with his subtle Russian accent. He sounded so very sophisticated and perfectly assumed his music student role.

"My name is Edward Cullen and I too am a piano student. I am from Chicago. This is my first semester here and I don't really know anyone so it is very nice to meet you." He nodded in understanding opening his text and cracking its spine. I shuddered at the abuse of his book, but smiled to cover it up.

"Well this is only my second semester here, but you will find that people are very friendly here." He said with a hint of sarcasm. He kicked his feet up onto the back of the chair in front of him casually. "My sister is in the ballet program, so I don't feel so alone being so far away from home. We came from Saint Petersburg last year, although we have spent a lot in our childhood here in the states." He stopped smiling and he seemed to be concentrating hard.

"Wow. You really are a long way from home." I mused, wondering how it must be for them to be so far from their roots. "Hmmm, Meretskov…any relation to Ivan Meretskov?" I hinted, hoping that he would disclose more information. He rolled his eyes slightly and snickered.

"Yes, that is my father." Looking at me curiously he asked "Are you a fan?"

In perfect Russian, I replied that my sister who is also in the ballet program was a huge fan.

His eyes widened in surprise.

"You speak Russian! Impressive! And without any accent! I so rarely meet an American that can speak Russian. Are you of Russian decent?" He inquired, also in Russian.

"No," I replied, "I just have a great many Russian friends who forced the language upon me." I said thinking of Tanya and her family.

Yuri laughed at me and I wondered if I had used a word incorrectly.

"What?" I asked smiling.

"Well, nothing." He answered in English. "I am just wondering if your 'great many friends' are all over the age of 100. Your Russian is very old fashioned." He smiled again. I smiled back. He couldn't realize how right he was.

"Well I suppose they are slightly my senior. It is such a beautiful language though."

Just then the theory professor walked in the room, disheveled and muttering to himself in German. The Class began and I let my mind wander.

I wondered what Yeva was studying right now. In the last few weeks I had become accustom to being near her, or at least having her within my sight. Although I knew Alice to be capable of protecting her, I was still ill at ease due to my lack visually proof of her wellbeing.

When the class was over I stood and began filling my bag with my pens and my notepad. Yuri was putting his blazer back on as he turned to me.

"So, Edward. A few of us are going to grab a coffee or maybe something harder. Would you like to join us? You can invite your sister along as well." He smiled warmly.

"Hmm, that might be nice. I will have to find Alice to ask her." I was warring internally. I didn't want to lose my focus. I had to keep my ultimate goal in mind and let no harm come to them. But I was so drawn to Yeva and the thought of sitting near her and being free to look her way and make inquiries was irresistible. I didn't understand my feelings but I was becoming aware of the fact that I was not in control of myself. And perhaps I didn't care.

Yuri and I walked together out into the busy hallway and toward to main corridor. I was not surprised in the least to see Alice engrossed in a conversation with Yeva by the door. Alice whispered something in Yeva's ear and gripped her arm. Yuri and I approached. The closer that I came to Yeva the more I felt the nervous energy racing within me. I felt light headed and unfocused.

She was in her black leotard with bright red leg warmers and an oversized black cable knit sweater. Her mass of thick black hair was pulled into a messy bun at the nape of her neck. She did not smile as we approached. I rarely saw her smile, in fact. She was very serious. She looked curiously into my eyes and once again my heart soared.

Alice beamed and shoved Yeva forward. The corner of Yeva's mouth twitched as she looked from Alice to Yuri to me.

"This is my big brother Edward!" Alice almost squealed.

Yeva smiled politely, but the smile did not reach her eyes. She held out her had toward me and I didn't even think before I took it gently in my own hand. An electric charge ran all though my body as the skin of her hot hand came into contact with the ice cold skin of my hand. Her eyes widened minutely and she ripped her hand away from mine in surprise and I instantly missed the contact. Confused by my own reaction, I attempted to maintain control. The scent of Yuri and Yeva combined was overwhelming me to the extent that I could not analyze my own feelings. My throat burned in a way that it had not for many years.

I searched Alice's mind for any hint of danger due to my potential lack of control, but I saw no future. Alice looked into my eyes and shook her head meaningfully. _Nothing_. She thought.

"It is very nice to meet you Yeva." I said in a surprisingly calm tone.

"You as well." She replied in a soft voice, looking at her brother.

"Well," Yuri said motioning toward the door "perhaps we should all go for some coffee and get to know one another? I think a few people from class will be joining us later."

"That would be great! I could really use a cup of coffee!" Alice exclaimed, almost jumping up and down. _This is so strange not to be able to see their future and subsequently our future. I have never experienced anything like it! _Alice thought as we walked toward the doors. _Can you read either of their minds?_

I discreetly shook my head no as we walked out into the cold wet winter air. It was disconcerting that Alice could not see their future as I could not ask for reassurance that they would be safe. I would have to up my game as much as I could.

I looked up to see Yeva studying me as we walked along the slushy sidewalk. It was twilight, but I could see clearly that she was blushing profusely as she looked away, having been caught staring. I felt elated. She was so much like her mother and yet so different. Despite myself I could not wait to learn more about her. I was greedy and impatient, but for the first time in a long time…I felt…happy?

A/N: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell??? O.K. so I had to get this chapter over with. Things will start to pick up a little now, but don't yous be expecting things to happen too fast. I want to take this nice and slow. *snicker*.

This story will remain dark and angsty, however…I hope it is alright with you if there is a tinsy bit of smut later???

I am thinking we might see some Yeva POV soon.

Thank you for reading and favoriting me! It makes MY heart soar!


	4. Cheese

**Chapter notes: So, this chapter is from Yeva's POV. I was going to write the whole thing from Edward's POV, but then I would have had to cut out some important scenes. So here it is! **

**There are a few naughty words in this chapter, so if you are sensitive to that sort of thing you should plug your ears as your read. Or maybe just don't read. But there are only a couple!**

**There are some strange things in this chapter but I promise you that I am going somewhere with it. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Cheese.

Cheese is the answer to all of life's problems, this much I knew was true. Unfortunately I was not permitted to eat the amount of cheese that I would have liked…but that night I didn't care. I was going for it.

I was dancing around in our too small kitchen, practicing standing on my tip-toes and listening to Yuri play the piano while I cooked. I was trying to hide the massive amount of cheese that I had just added to the pot with the noodles. This was increasingly difficult because it appeared that somehow there was more cheese than noodles. Huh.

Anyway, I was in desperate need of comfort food.

I had not slept well for a week for I had been having the same terrible dream every night. The nightmare was sinister and confusing. It hung over my days like a cloud and then following me into the night, causing my world to seem dark and unfriendly. I had been skittish and on edge for days and anytime I looked over at Yuri I knew my behavior had not gone unnoticed by the look on his face.

The only solution that I could think of (and I had given it some thought) was cheese.

It began last week after a troubling day. Yuri and I had gone out for coffee with a few of our fellow student as we did from time to time. We went to the regular coffee house that was located in an old brick building a few blocks from the school. The coffee shop was warm, steamy and packed with bodies. I breathed in the aroma of coffee deeply and anticipated wrapping my cold fingers around a scalding cup. Coffee was my only vice. Oh, and cheese. And Vogue. And Vodka. But right then I was focused on the coffee.

We managed to find a rather large table to accommodate the group of us and everyone began taking their coats off and getting comfortable. I reached for my chair, but Edward beat me too it, pulling the chair out and smiling at me shyly. Butterflies swarmed in my stomach when I looked into his eyes.

Since the first day I laid eyes on him at school before Christmas I always seemed to catch him staring at me intensely. It made me feel a bit strange and I was not sure if I liked it, but I was not sure that I disliked it either. There was something about him that perplexed me and I was not used to feeling the way that he made me feel. It was unfamiliar to say the least. I normally paid little attention to men and I was certainly not in need of a distraction. Ballet was what mattered to me and I didn't want to take any chances of screwing up this semester. I had to keep my eyes on my goal and this was my only chance to make my dreams of becoming a great ballet dancer like my father come true.

I looked across the table as I hung my coat on the back of the chair and noticed Alice smiling at me. As my eyes met hers she winked at me. Alice was lovely…but I had never met anyone like her so I was having trouble reading her.

I was never quite at home around other people. I was constantly accused of being cold and unapproachable. Intimidating even. Yuri often teased me about that, but I found that I was indifferent. I knew who I was and I was not going to try and impress anyone. However, Alice seemed to see right through my reserved nature and was not put off by my quiet demeanor. I found that I enjoyed her company a great deal. Speaking with her was easy and that she was extremely kind. And a little on the hyper side, but she didn't seem to mind that my energy level was not quite on par with her own. Conceivably she was my opposite…and what do they say about opposites attracting?

I asked Yuri to order me a grande dark roast and headed to the washroom. The washrooms in this coffee shop were in the basement and I actually really hated going down there. The stairs were narrow and dark. It smelled like mothballs and was somewhat creepy. The washroom itself was also quite creepy. It was red and dimly lit by wall sconces. I tried to pee as quickly as I could.

When I was finished I was washing my hands when a woman came out of the stall and walked over to the sink beside me. My instincts were buzzing and trying to tell me that something was wrong as I looked over at her. She was obscenely beautiful with amazing hair that made me want to scratch her bald headed. It was so long and curly and the most perfect color of red. Her skin was pale and she was wearing sunglasses…maybe that was why I felt so strange. I have always felt disconcerted when I can't see someone's eyes. Why would anyone be wearing sunglasses in such a dark room anyway? As she caught me staring she smiled at me, flashing her teeth and I suddenly felt like I might vomit. I didn't understand my reaction and I could only smile back as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.

"Wow! That is a great sweater." She said reaching out to run her fingers along my sleeve. "Where did you get it?"

I wanted to snatch my arm away from her by I found that I could not move. Warning bells were going off in my mind and I began to feel cold and sweaty in panic.

"Um, it was a gift…so I don't know." I half whispered in an attempt to return her smile. I had to get out of there! I hurriedly finished rinsing my hands and grabbed a small towel from the table to dry them. She continued to stand there unmoving, and smiling at me like I was something to eat.

"Well, see you." I choked as I turned around and quickly exited the washroom, feeling her eyes on my back.

I took the narrow, dark wooden stairs two at a time and started to relax a little as I was once again surrounded by swarms of happy people drinking their coffee in the cozy, lamp-lit room. I could see Yuri and Alice giggling together in the corner and my cup of steaming coffee awaiting me.

I felt extremely lightheaded and nauseous and I really just wanted to go home, but I didn't want to have to explain anything to Yuri. He was prone to overreaction and I didn't really understand why I was feeling upset.

As I approached the table I looked toward Edward. He smiled at me, but his expression changed rapidly as something dark flashed over his face and his smile turned to something akin to fury. I stopped mid step as Edward shot out of his chair rattling the table and dumping my coffee cup onto the floor where it shattered. Before I knew what was happening Edward was at my side, his golden eyed turning black and he grasped my arm firmly and yanked me in the direction of the door. I let out a cry of surprise and my panic grew to a new level as he dragged along behind him at a rapid pace. I was tripping all over my feet and I surely would have fallen on my face if his strong arm had not been holding me up.

Edward grabbed my jacket off the back of the chair and wrapped it tightly around me as he continued to lead me toward the door. Yuri looked up in surprise and jumped up to follow us.

"Hey Edward! What the fuck??" He yelled after us in confusion. I was too shocked to really say anything. Once we were out the door into the cold January air I began to shake. It was twilight and the snow set off everything in a blue glow. My teeth rattled my brain so hard I could barely see straight and my breath was coming out in gasps. I felt so much pressure on my chest and I began to claw at it in search of release.

Edward put his hands on either side of my face and massaged my temples with his forefingers. I tried to push him away but he was very strong. What was happening to me? Why did I feel afraid of Edward and yet so comforted at the same time? Why did I know that everything was going to be O.K. now that he was here? What was I in danger of?

"Edward, take your fucking hands off of my sister NOW!" Yuri yelled almost right into Edward's ears, grabbing onto his jacket. I could hear the uncertainty and anger in his voice escalating.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Edward asked softly, ignoring Yuri. His eyes pleaded as he looked severely into mine. I wondered what he saw there. By this time his eyes were almost pitch black.

"Let (gasp) me (gasp) breath!" I was fighting to calm down and this time I managed to push him off of me. Edward stood there looking lost and helpless as Yuri came between us.

"What is going on Yeva???" Yuri was getting hysterical and grabbed my hand. His skin was burning against my ice cold hand.

"Home." I managed to cough out.

"Yes, we are going right now. Come on." Yuri put his arm around me and pulled me in the direction of the train station glaring at Edward as we left. About a block later I turned around and saw that Edward was trailing behind us and remained close by until we arrived home to our flat.

And that night the dream began. The dream was abstract, but violent. I remember blood. I remember a lot of blood and Yuri and I were covered in it. The woman from the washroom was there smiling at us, her eyes a blazing red, and I recall feeling like my skin was crawling off my body. My mom was also there. Her deep, warm brown eyes were fearful and searching and my heart ached for her. Seeing her shocked my system and my blood pulsated in my ears. Then, my mother was dead. There was no warmth left in her eyes. She was gone.

And suddenly Edward was holding me. I was shaking with heaving sobs and he was rocking me back and forth and I finally felt safe.

Then I would be ripped from sleep screaming. Yuri came running into my room every time and stayed with me until I could shake it off and realize that it was only a dream.

I usually calmed myself down by reading a book while Yuri played some soft melody from our childhood until it was time to get ready for school. My favorite piece that Yuri would play was "The Enchanted Lake" by Anatoly Lyadov, as it comforted me like no other.

And I tried to forget about the dream. I don't believe that dreams mean anything, anyway. They are just neurons firing in your brain in random patterns.

However, the part of the dream that I seemed to be entirely unable to shake was the memory of my mother. The image of her lifeless eyes was scorched forever into my memory and flashed before my eyes at unexpected moments. I wished that I could replace the impression with a happier memory, but the truth was I didn't remember very much of my mother. I had some magical memories of her, but I was never definite that they were real. I was so young when she died and I wished more than anything that I could remember her more clearly. She was killed in a car accident when Yuri and I were only one year old and I often wondered what it would be like to have her in my life today. Would she be proud of me? Would we be close? Would she encourage my dream of becoming a ballet dancer?

"Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!" Yuri growled in a loud voice sticking his head inside the kitchen. I jumped slightly as I was so caught up in my own thoughts that I had not noticed that he had stopped playing the piano. I blushed as he looked into the pot of noodles and stared at me with concern in his eyes.

"Are we going to talk about this?" He hedged.

"Mine your biznas." I mumbled shoving a spoonful of hot, cheesy noodles into my mouth, burning my tongue. He knew me well enough to know that something was up if I was cooking with this much cheese, but I really didn't feel like discussing it. He was still in the dark as to why I had freaked out last week, but he had not mentioned it…nor did he mention the fact that I had been having nightmares ever night. I think he didn't know what to say or do as this behavior was so out of character for me. I believed he was waiting for me to come to him on my own.

"Hmmmmm mmmm mmmm. You better tell me what is up before I get angry." Yuri joked with a crazy look on his face. "When I am angry…I am a little crazyyyy!" He said in a creepy voice, cocking his head to the side and drooling down his face.

"Gross Yuri. Get lost!" I said taking a step back. Yuri stuck his arms out in front of him zombie style and started gurgling at the back of his throat at he slowly began to move toward me.

A fearful thrill ran through me and I squealed as I spun and ran into the living room. Yuri picked up his pace behind me.

"If you don't stop this right now, you cannot have any cheesy pasta you freak!" I yelled as I ran around behind the couch. Yuri only gurgled out something unintelligible and jumped over the couch after me.

I picked up my feet to run back toward the kitchen as Yuri roared behind me, but the toe of my ballet slipper tucked under the edge of the rug and I sprawled out ungracefully on the floor in front of me. Yuri grabbed my foot and started to drag me toward the kitchen.

"Ouch! Let go you little bitch!" I yelled laughing.

About half way to the kitchen Yuri's cell phone rang and he straitened his neck and dropped my foot. He looked at the call display smiling and looked at me.

"Let me guess. Blonde hair and blue eyes?" I teased.

"Oh. You are good." He laughed walking back toward the couch and plopping down like his bones had dissolved as he answered his phone.

I stood and dusted myself off and went back to my cheese. I helped myself to a heaping bowl full of cheese…I mean pasta, and went into my room to read. About half an hour later Yuri knocked on my door.

"I am heading out. I will probably be back in a few hours. Do you want anything?" Yuri asked as I opened the door.

"No, I am good. I am going to bed early to catch up on my sleep. See you when I see you." I replied.

"Alright. Goodnight. And please return my Muse T-shirt. If you get any face cream on it I will kill you." He said seriously.

"Oh, yeah. Uh-huh. For sure. No doubt. I will return it right away. Comin at ya. Bye now. Haaaaaaave fun!!!" I said pushing him out the door. He was never getting that T-shirt back. It was mine.

Once he was gone I went straight for the dresser and put on the Muse T-shirt that Yuri had bought when we saw the band at Wembley Stadium in London. I put my pajama pants on, the sparkly red ones with cute polar bears all over them, and twisted my hair on top of my head. I was just grabbing my book and heading into the kitchen for a cup of tea when there was a knock at the door.

Thinking it was Yuri, I sprinted back to my bedroom, ripping open the door and dashing to my closet. I grabbed the first oversized sweater I could find to hide the Muse T-shirt and shoved it down over my head before running back to the door.

I breathlessly swung the door open and instantly froze and my heart flew into my throat.

There standing in the doorway, looking like a Greek God, was Edward.

**End notes: OK, so how did it go? Remember that Yeva and Yuri were both there when Bella was murdered and so some of Yeva's memories were triggered by seeing Victoria. I think Edward might have freaked out a little bit. Also, for some strange reason (getting to that later) Alice has no vision for Yuri and Yeva's future so Edward and Alice are working blind here.**

**So, who would play Yuri and Yeva in the movie??**

**I hope you enjoyed!**


	5. Damage Control

**Chapter notes: Sorry for the delay folks, but the last few weeks have been dedicated to monotonous English and History papers and I didn't even want to look at a computer! I was also swooning over the New Moon movie!**

**This chapter is back to EPOV, so I hope you enjoy!! Thank you for the amazing reviews. **

**Validated by: angelicwish**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

I stood at her door. I didn't dare breath. I didn't dare contemplate what I was about to do, for fear that I would turn around and walk away. This was mandatory. This was damage control.

Yuri had left a short while ago and Alice had followed quietly behind him. I had been waiting for a moment to speak with Yeva alone, to apologize for my asinine freak-out in the coffee shop.

What must she have thought of me? I must have seemed like a crazed lunatic flailing about.

When she had come up from the washroom, her face was stark white and her teeth were shattering. She reeked of Victoria. I suddenly realized just how badly I had screwed up; how effortless it was for Victoria to get past me. I had never known fear like that – was Yeva hurt?

Images of Bella had flashed through my mind. Bella covered in her own blood, her eyes cold and lifeless.

Fear raced through my dead heart and I could not stop myself from running to Yeva. It had taken all of my will power to keep a human pace. I needed to protect her. I had not been there to protect her! I had failed! Victoria had slipped so easily through the cracks…and anything could have happened in that washroom without my knowledge.

So, I may have lost it a little.

I also may have lost the trust of the children.

I was certain that I startled Yeva at least as much as Victoria had. But what had Victoria said to her to upset her so much? I needed to know.

My heart ached when I thought about Yeva, shaking and crying in her sleep.

The very night that Yeva had come face to face with Victoria, the nightmares began.

When I heard her muffled cries from the street, I had finally decided that I must invade her privacy. I had slid her bedroom window open, and sat near her sleeping figure. I wanted to take away those nightmares, to take away any pain that she might have, but I dared not touch her.

She looked beautiful as she slept. Her porcelain skin glowing in the moon light and her long, silky black hair splashed across her pillow. Her red lips were slightly parted, emitting gentle puffs of sweet air. Her brow would furrow and she would weep softly into her pillow, kicking her blankets onto the floor and I would return them gently to her, tucking them under her chin. As the nights went on her dreams seemed to get progressively worse, and after a few nights she began to awake violently, screaming.

Yuri would come running and would sit with her until morning, so I would have to leave.

Many times that week I caught Alice smiling at me as though she knew something about me that I didn't know. I was content to just smile back because for the first time, Alice was unable to all-knowingly lord the future over me. She was just as blind as I was and it was difficult for me not to be smug about it.

I longed to be beside Yeva during the day, but it had been a week since I had seen her at school. The sun had been out most days so Alice and I were confined to our own small flat.

I had been in a foul mood all week, snapping at Alice and pacing around the flat muttering to myself. My only solace was the knowledge that Victoria too was unable to stalk her prey during daylight hours.

Alice was predicting that we would be able to return to school on Monday, which meant that I would have to explain myself to Yuri and Yeva in order to be near enough to protect them properly.

And if I was honest with myself, I would admit that I wanted to be close to her. I wanted to have a conversation. I wanted to observe her traits that were similar to Bella and those which were all her own. And I desperately wanted to feel that electricity again. I had never felt so alive.

I raised my fist and knocked firmly on the old wooden door to their flat.

I heard Yeva curse under her breath and her socked feet rushing into the bedroom. There was a crash and more movement. I was suddenly worried that she was aware of who was at her door and was hiding from me, but as the thought crossed my mind I heard her sprinting back toward the door and she swung it open forcefully.

She gasped lightly as she looked up at my face, but then she only stood there looking into my eyes with a completely blank expression on her face.

She did not move a muscle.

Her thick black hair was carelessly shoved into a bun on the top of her head and she was wearing on oversized knit sweater and red pajama pants. She looked more beautiful than my heart could take and I struggled to collect myself. I simply must control this situation.

After a silent moment she finally spoke.

"Well sir, won't you come in?" She elaborately gestured toward the living area of the apartment. She seemed relaxed and I wondered at her sense of self preservation. Once again, so much like her mother.

I hesitated, but followed her lead into the room.

"Can I offer you some tea?" She asked absently as she followed after me into the living area.

"Um…no thank you. I am alright, I don't want to take too much of your time." I responded.

"Aha, you mean that you want to escape before my brother comes home? Isn't that true?" She asked in what I thought must be a teasing tone.

I could not read her.

She didn't seem uncomfortable with my presence and my heart traitorously filled with hope.

I looked around the room for the first time up-close. There was a large wooden crate spilling its papery contents all over the floor. A few of the papers had escaped and lay crumpled and ink stained all over the oversized wooden coffee table, with a childish scrawl filling their pages. There were books everywhere in several languages and coffee stains on the table. The large windows reached from ceiling to floor allowed the vivid, royal blue light of the evening to fill the room, which was softly lit by lamps and the dieing fire in the old brick fireplace. Vogue magazine and socks littered the floor.

Yeva, unabashed of the mess, motioned for me to have a seat on the overstuffed arm chair (that looked like it might be older than me) by the window.

"Well I don't think Yuri will be pleased to find me here, after last week. I don't blame him for being upset with me. My behavior was deplorable." I stated with confidence. She did not smile. She continued to stare at me as she sat on the couch opposite to me.

What was she thinking?

After another long moment of silence I spoke again.

"What is all of this?" I asked, indicating the crate and papers scattered about.

"Ah. That is my crappy writing. It is good for a laugh. I enjoy it though." She smirked confidently as though she really didn't care what anyone thought of her writing.

I was suddenly having trouble seeing Bella in this astonishing young woman.

"Poetry?" I asked.

"If you can call it that." Finally, she was smiling. She had a beautiful smile and perfect white teeth.

"So writing is a hobby of yours on top of dancing? What else do you enjoy?" I asked smiling back at her, carefully concealing my own teeth. No need to make her uncomfortable.

"Well, there is a fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness'." She said, not really answering my question, and she leaned back into the old, brown leather couch. I laughed quietly.

"I hear that you are an amazing pianist from people around campus. You must be to have been accepted so late in the year." She stated shyly, with only a soft hint of a Russian accent. Why was she shy all of a sudden? I was increasingly frustrated by my lack of insight.

"Well, I guess music has led to my own 'metal illness'" I joked.

It was silent for a long moment, and when I looked up she was looking right into my eyes without fear. She looked deep in thought.

"What do you know that I don't know?" She suddenly asked. I was truly unprepared for this question and I remained silent. Here was Bella, I thought. Always noticing more than anyone around her.

"I am sure I don't know what you mean." I replied innocently.

"Now that is bullshit." Her brow was furrowed again and she looked a little frustrated, but not unsurprised by my response.

"How did you know there was something wrong?" She asked, once again unreadable.

"I could tell by the expression on your face. You looked like you had seen Bloody Mary in the bathroom mirror." I responded honestly.

"I felt like I had." She whispered in Russian. I sighed heavily and leaned forward toward her, curiosity getting the better of me.

"What did happen?" I asked her, desperate to hear the details of my epic failure. She looked even more frustrated and a little embarrassed.

"Well, that is the stupid part really. Nothing happened. I just saw a women in the washroom who really creeped me out. Nothing happened at all…I…I guess I cannot explain my bizarre overreaction." She leaned forward as well, placing her chin in her hands, looking at the floor. "But if I overreacted, then I don't know what to call your performance. You really freaked my brother out. Neither of us really knew what to make of it. My brother thinks that you might be a lunatic." She was still smiling.

"Do you think I am a lunatic?" I asked, nervous to hear the answer.

"No." She looked into my eyes again. "I think you know something I don't know." I frowned.

"I think I had a little too much coffee and I was afraid that someone was unpleasant to you. I had a bad experience with that sort of thing. I guess my memories took over." I said without looking at her or unveiling any further details. She continued to look into my eyes without revealing any of her own thoughts. She must be the ultimate poker player.

"I am really sorry about my behavior. I truly don't know what came over me. I promise you I have never done anything like that before." I ran my hands through my hair uncomfortably and prayed that she would let this slide. "Are you O.K. now?" I asked.

"Yes." She lied. She looked away uncomfortably.

"This women, the one from the washroom, have you ever seen her before or since?" I asked.

"I have not seen her since, no. But I do feel as though I have seen her before. Maybe that was the strange part." She shrugged kicking her long lean legs up onto the table. She looked really tired.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was a text from Alice saying that Yuri was on his way home. I stood up to leave and Yeva stood as well.

"I should get going. I am seriously backed up on theory homework. My sister and I were out of town this week and I don't want to get too far behind." I covered. "I guess I will see you on Monday?" I asked as I walked toward the door, Yeva just behind me.

"Uh-huh." She replied, a little distant. "Edward? How did you know where we lived?" She asked. I looked down at the wooden floor.

"I wanted to make sure you made it home O.K. last week. I am in this neighborhood a lot." I said casually reaching for the knob.

"Oh yeah. Hmmmm. Well, I guess I will see you Monday then." She said folding her arms across her chest.

I couldn't help but get the feeling that she knew something. She was looking at me strangely.

"Goodnight Edward. Thank you for stopping by. Don't worry about Yuri, I will talk to him." She looked as though she had more to say and I paused in the hope that she would tell me what was in her mind, but she remained silent.

"Goodnight Yeva. Sleep well." I said as I stepped into the hallway and she closed the door between us.

I stood for a moment in the hall in silence. I heard her sigh on the other side of the door and she whispered my name quietly. I felt a jolt in my heart.

I heard Yuri coming up the stairs and I ducked around the corner as he entered the apartment and took the stairs out the back.

Alice was waiting for me in the dark alley with an odd look on her face.

"What?" I asked.

"I can see him." She stated simply.

"Excuse me?" What did she mean?

_When they are apart I can see his future. But the moment they are close together again, both of their futures are concealed to me. _She thought.

She was staring into my eyes with a confused, yet determined look on her face.

Alice and I stood there together trying to put the pieces together.

That night as I watched Yeva toss and shift in her sleep, I considered her mind. Both Yeva and her brother were silent to me like their mother, but when they were together, Alice was unable to see into their future. I was fascinated by the effect of their combined minds. They were more powerful together than apart and the combined privacy of their minds must be blocking both of Alice's and my own abilities. They must be protecting each other somehow, and I wondered what this meant.

I was also beginning to wonder what Victoria was doing. She had taken her revenge on Bella, and now she was pursuing Bella's children. Why was she doing this? Did she not feel that we were even? Did she hate me so much that she felt the need to continue to torture me? And why had she not killed Yeva in the bathroom that day? It must be that she is toying with me. But why? I had seen so much evil and hatred in my long years, but this seemed senseless to me.

I knew that there was only one way to end all of this, and keep the twins safe. I had to end Victoria.

I was startled out of my reverie by Yeva's increasing anxiety. She did not talk in her sleep the way that Bella had, but her mumbling and crying were accelerating as she thrashed wildly in her bed. Before I could stop myself I was at her side and I grasped her hand soothingly. Her fingers instantly tightened around my own and she stopped moving.

Silence.

What was I doing?

She breathed a contented sigh and turned toward me, snuggling into her pillow. I dared not move.

I was bewildered. Was I a comforting force for her?

"Edward." She whispered quietly, holding my attention in place.

Her breathing and heart rate told me that she was still asleep, so I calmly knelt down beside her.

The room was dark and chilly, so I pulled her blankets up around her for the 2nd time that evening and she was perfectly still.

An hour passed and I didn't move, devotedly remaining by her side watching her peaceful face in awe.

She was breathing so quietly and calmly. She smelled so amazing and I leaned down to breath her in, closing my eyes in pleasure as her warmth and perfume surrounded me.

I was suddenly jolted back to reality as warm lips pushed softly against my own cold, marble lips. My eyes sprung open and a jumped back across the room, instantly missing the contact, but too confused to understand what had happened.

Yeva was still fast asleep, but she hummed a deep breath as she turned over with seeming satisfaction and dropped into a deep and peaceful sleep.

My lips tingled pleasantly and my stomach burned. What had just happened? I did not move for the rest of the night.

**So this chapter was a transitional chapter. The next chapter should contain a little more action and plot progression. I am excited to get to the chapter that inspired me to write this story!**

**I also wanted to recommend a couple stories…I am deeply in love with "Playing God and the Vampire of the Odd" by Dreaminspired here at FF. I also love "Through Your Eyes" by angelicwish over at Twilighted. They are both amazing stories so you should check them out! I am almost finished the next chapter so it should be up soon. Review if you like!**


	6. Nightmare

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

My fingers slipped and slithered across the saturated tiles.

Blood, swimming under my finger nails and in my brain.

My vision was dim and I swayed as my eyes searched through the blood for some object of familiarity. Some hope of escape from the red eyed, red haired monster.

My pant legs were sodden with blood as I dragged them behind me with force, as though I were underwater.

Suddenly my slick hand slipped out from under me, and my chin cracked against the bloody kitchen floor, ricocheting through my teeth and rattling my brain. My stomach splashed down into the blood and became flush with the floor.

I lay my throbbing head down.

The floor should have been cool against my burning cheek, but in place of the welcoming chill, was a garish warmth and the smell of rusty metal.

I closed my eyes allowing the darkness in. Blood seeped into my nostril and pooled in my mouth. My stomach twisted and I knew that I would not be able to hold back the bile, but I was unable to move.

I slowly opened my eyes, taking a moment to process the macabre picture in front of my face, as it burned into my retinas.

Mom.

Her face was not 2 feet from my own. I recognized her rich brown eyes and beautiful face. Her mouth slightly ajar. Her eyes staring endlessly.

I stared back.

As my range of vision augmented, I felt my mind slowly slip into hysteria. Her body was contorted and distorted. A sickening mess of blood and viscera. I quickly shut my eyes, but to no avail. I would be forever haunted by that image.

A high pitched buzzing noise accompanied by a louder cracking screech seized my attention and I tried to imagine its source.

My panic awakened.

I couldn't breath.

I was drowning in the blood.

I suddenly realized the sounds were coming from me, and my body as no longer under my control.

Misery and desperation overcame me and I knew that the end was near, as some invisible force pushed me into the floor and my body became heavy with paralysis.

Cold strong arms grasped around my waist, pulling me away from hell to safety. Relief washed away the blood as the cold arms held me tight.

"Don't let me go!" I sobbed incoherently.

"I will never let you go." His velvet voice whispered softly in my ear.

I was once again in control of my physical self and I flailed against my panic.

"Edward!" I screamed.

The strong cold arms shook me gently and everything was suddenly dark.

Quiet.

I was gasping for breath. My sheets were tangled between my legs and sweat had soaked through my pillow. My eyes gradually adjusted to my dark bedroom, and I sucked in the sweet air around me greedily.

But I was alone.

My door crashed open and Yuri rushed in, grabbing me forcefully and rocking me, as I sobbed into his flannel pajama top.

"Your cheek is so cold!" He whispered, his voice thick with sleep. He continued to rock me as my breathing returned to a normal pace.

"What time is it?" I asked after a few minutes, when I had calmed down and the images had begun to fade. I could not go to sleep again.

"It is 6:30. Time to get up. It is early though, so we can go to the diner and have some breakfast if you want." Yuri answered. "And I think it is time for us to discuss these nightmares." He stood up and turned on the light, and the night demons scurried off into the shadows.

"Yuri, do you ever dream about mom?" I asked out of the blue. He was silent for a moment before he answered.

"Always." He replied, looking into my face. "Let us get ready for the day." He said closing the door behind him as he left my bedroom. He sounded exactly like dad.

I sat in my chaotic bed for another long moment, breathing in a deep sigh. My dreams had been better this week, not so dark and violent, but the dream that I had just awoken from was the worst I had ever had. I was so thankful for the angel that had ripped me out of it.

I felt like I could smell Edward. If I focused hard enough I could even feel his arms around me. Thinking of Edward was such a pleasant alternative to the dark thoughts that plagued my mind of late.

I felt that my terrible nightmares were haunting my mother's tranquility, calling her from her black bed. I wanted her to be at peace, but I had a nagging feeling, somewhere deep in my heart, telling me that there was something that I ought to know.

I knew that the woman in the coffee shop had unearthed something within me, but every time I felt close to understanding my bizarre reaction, by brain clouded and my thoughts became impossible to sift through. I didn't know how the pieces all fit together or how they related to my mother, but I knew that somehow they did.

But there was one thing of which I was certain; I was ill at ease. My dreams followed and lingered with me through my days. Everything looked slightly sinister and I was unable to function properly.

The only area of my life that seemed to improve through this new dark lens, was my dance. My depressing demeanor pleased my instructors to no end, and I allowed my body to express my mood. Anything to achieve my goal.

I had dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer since I was three years old. That was the year I saw my father dance in _La Sylphide_ at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. I remember feeling as though I had been trasnported to a glamorous new world. In my mind, the ballerinas were strong and graceful faeries, who were full of magic and wonder.

As I grew into my teen years and the pressure began to build, I practiced everyday and everynight to fulfill my dream. I went to all the best private schools and had the very best instructors. My father pushed me very hard to succeed, but was seemingly never impressed with my progress. I understood now that to affect my father was a nearly impossible feat. I also realized that it was now of little importance to me.

Now that I was at Juilliard, and my carreer began to look more and more promising, I rarely thought of my father. Perhaps I would never think of him if I were not constantly reminded of my origin by my instructors.

"Lovely support Yeva. So much like your father. Such strength." Madame Belyea often said. Even when she approved of my technique, her face still managed to look angry. I wondered if she ever smiled. She was such an unhappy women and she took her unhappiness out on her students.

Except for me, for I came to class, shut up, and listened to instructions. Plus, I think Madame Belyea was in love with my father.

She had singled me out on day one as the most promising dancer in the school. I was certain it was because of my father, and for that I was not pleased. I wanted to be criticized and judged. I did not want to miss the opportunity to become a better dancer because my instructor was a fame whore. So what I lacked in instruction, I made up for with disturbing nightmares, manipulating them into motion.

After class that day, I stayed to work on my Adage. The challenge of the high lifting of my legs to the front, side and back, was enough to take my mind away from my lack of sleep and my restless thoughts.

It was my goal to have the highest extensions, and Madame Belyea pushed us all to have them, as they are quite impressive.

As I focused on my formation in the mirror, I noticed Edward standing in the doorway of the classroom behind me.

I froze in my arabesque for a moment before slowly lowering my legs to the floor, and spinning around to face him. He stood smiling, holding his jacket in his arms.

"You are very talented, Miss Meretskov. And very beautiful. Such exquisite lines." He almost whispered, as he slowly walked toward me.

I felt a rush of heat over my cheeks and I looked anywhere but his face as he came closer. This was very odd behavior on my behalf. I rarely thought very much about what another student might think of me. Or what a man might think of me.

"Thank you." I replied, grateful that my voice had not failed me. I was suddenly very aware of my hands and how they hung uselessly at my side. I had longed to see him all day, and now that he was in front of me, I felt awkward and shy. I had never in my life been shy. Just quiet.

"Are you finished for the day?" He asked in what I imagined to be a hopeful tone.

"Yes, I was going to eat something with Yuri. Would you and Alice like to join us?" I asked before I could stop myself. I had still not spoken with Yuri about Edward's visit. Or my dreams, where Edward was my own personal savior, rescuing me from my torrential nightmares.

I was sure that Yuri would understand, but he would be wary at first. He was very overprotective of me.

"Um...yes. That would be nice. But, are you sure Yuri won't mind?" He asked smiling.

"Oh, Yuri is alright. You have just got to prove to him that you are not a psycho and he will come around. I think he is unused to me having a boy around." I laughed "But I have had to put up with soooooo many of his silly women, so yeah. No worries." I felt the heat rise again in my face as I realized that I had implied a romantic connection between Edward and myself.

I looked into his face to see his reaction, and Edward's eyes twinkled warmly, but he looked guarded. It was so frustrating trying to read him.

"Well then, we shall face the fire together." He said offering me his elbow as he led me out the door.

He guided me though the busy hall ways to the locker area, where Yuri was chatting up one of the dancers from a younger class. When Yuri looked over at me, I rolled my eyed at him and he smirked knowingly.

What a player.

My brother was very popular with the ladies and sometimes he was insufferable. I often teased him about his romantic conquests, but I was careful about my timing. If I caught him at an inopportune moment, he would deploy the tickle torture. He was downright cruel sometimes!

As Yuri saw Edward standing next to me his smile faded. He bent down and said something to the girl that made her blush, and he walked toward us.

"So. What the hell is going on here?" Yuri inquired as he came closer to us. He looked a little worried and his black wavy hair fell into his eyes.

"I have invited Edward to come have dinner with us." I said nonchalantly. "No big deal." I tried to inject as much warning into my voice as I could and Yuri's irritated expression changed as understanding dawned on him, and he grinned widely. To be honest, I think he was a little surprised. I never invited boys to come out with us. I knew I was going to get the third degree later.

"Alright then. Let me get my coat." He spun around smoothly returning to his locker and I looked back at Edward.

He still looked a little nervous, and I reached out to squeeze his gloved hand reassuringly. His face turned to mine and he smiled, squeezing my hand in return. He was so breathtakingly beautiful!

I felt a thrill run through me. I had never held hands with a man before. I had never taken any real interest in a man before. This was all new to me and I suddenly wondered if he felt the same. It was such an unpleasant thing to imagine that he was not on the same page as me, and I stomped that thought out immediately. The whole insecurity bit was not my thing.

"Hi!" Said a bell-like voice from behind us.

"Hello Alice." Edward responded without even turning.

I stiffened as I was suddenly, and thoroughly embraced by Edward's lovely sister, her soft black hair tickling my nose. She was quite a bit shorter than I was, with the same striking golden eyes as Edward. She had a lovely bright smile and she seemed to bubble with an insatiable energy. It was really quite contagious.

Alice was in the class above mine, but I had met her the first day of the semester. She was one of the kindest and most vivacious people that I had ever met and it was hard not to feel happy when she was around. I had never really felt that way around anyone besides Yuri.

"We are going for dinner. Would you like to come with us?" I asked hopefully and Alice beamed at my invitation and quickly consented.

"Yes! That sounds great! We can finally sit down and get to know one another!" She effused with eagerness.

I still needed to change and Alice joined me in the dressing rooms. I quickly changed into my jeans and cashmere sweater. As I pulled on my knee-high, brown riding boots I was startled by a squeal. I looked over to see Alice gawking at my boots in awe.

"Are those what I think they are?" She squealed.

"Um…do you think that they are BKXZ boots by Republica?" I hedged.

"How did you get those? They are not even available yet!" She asked rushing over to me and petting my boots in admiration.

"She is a friend of the family." I stated as I reached down and unzipped the boots. I took them off and handed them to Alice one by one. "Please, I can get more." I smiled.

After a moment of confusion, Alice threw her arms around me and I started. Physical contact was another thing that I was unfamiliar with. The only person that ever hugged me was Yuri. Being hugged by Alice twice in one day, felt really nice.

"How can I ever repay you?" She squealed, jumping up and down.

"No need." I said turning to my locker for the pair of black puma runners I had stored there.

When I turned back to Alice she was holding the boots looking at me with a blank expression. Her eyes seemed hazed and it gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my gut.

"Alice?" I asked waving my hand in front of her face. She continued to stare into space for another minute and my uneasy feeling was starting to grow.

In the blink of an eye, Alice smiled and focused on my face. "Sorry, I guess I didn't sleep very well last night. I am a little on the spacey side today. I hope you will put up with me." Her smile did not quite reach her eyes though. She must really need some sleep.

She leaned down and put her new boots on. They fit her perfectly and she seemed very pleased with them. We then left the dressing room to head out for dinner.

Yuri and I took Alice and Edward to a little Italian restaurant that we loved for its old world charm, and its cheap entrees. We talked the entire way to the restaurant, and Yuri and I learned that Alice and Edward come from a large family (seven of them in total), and that Edward and his brothers and sisters were all adopted. We also learned that Alice was married to Jasper, who she was hoping that we would meet that weekend. The rest of the family was in Montreal and would be visiting soon. I wondered what it must be like to come from such a large family, as I had grown up with just Yuri and my father, who was away most of the time.

When we arrived at the restaurant we all ordered the house special pasta and beer, and talked for hours. Edward and Alice told us many stories about their brothers and their sister Rosalie. They sounded like such an amazing family with such diverse interests. I began to speculate more about Edward and his past. I wondered where the pain in his eyes had come from. I also noticed that when he looked at me, the pain seemed to dissolve, and that filled me with joy.

When we had all finished, Yuri reached for the bill only to have Edward slip in, and grab it from under his nose.

"Oh come on man, I'll have none of that! We invited you here!" Yuri objected.

"You snooze you lose." Edward taunted smiling, as he handed his visa to the server.

"Well then, will you let us take you both to _La Vivandière_ next week at Lincoln Centre? Our father will be performing with the company. And of course Jasper would be welcome to join us if he will be in town. Would you guys be interested?" Yuri asked. I was happy that he and Edward seemed to be getting along now.

"Would we like to see Ivan Meretskov perform? Oh hell yes! That would be so awesome, thank you!" Alice agreed with fervor.

Edward smiled and nodded as his eyes shifted over to me. My heart skipped a beat again and I look down into my empty beer glass. Edward's foot nudged me under the table and I looked up into his eyes again, this time unable to look away.

What was happening to me? My body was behaving in a bizarre manner and I felt like I was about to go on stage.

As we left the restaurant, I felt Edward's hand on the small of my back, and he leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"Can we go somewhere together later this week? Alone?" He asked, his cold breath tickling my ear. I couldn't even speak, I only turned to him and smiled.

That night, I fell into the deepest and most peaceful sleep I'd had in years.

**End Notes: Soooo? How did it go? Any ideas about what Alice is seeing? How do you all imagine Yuri to look? The next chapter will be a little more fluffy and a little more zexy. Please review!!!**


	7. Faux Hawk

**Chapter Notes: Here we go again!**

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

I was sitting on the wooden window seat watching Yeva sleep, as hints of the impending day glowed on the horizon, reflecting off the snowy streets. The little crystals of light began to stretch across the wooden floor, finding the books and clothes that were scattered about and dancing up the bed skirt and onto the patchwork quilt. Listening to Yeva's serene breathing and the gentle beat of her heart brought peace to my disquiet soul.

Yeva had slept peacefully through the night without stirring so I had remained at a distance, but my fingers ached to be entwined with her own small fingers. I yearned to hear her low, clear voice and quiet laugh, and to look into her striking, deep green eyes. Watching her face as she listened to conversations around her was the most captivating experience of my life. She was such a quite girl, quite the opposite of her friendly and outgoing twin, but I could tell that she heard everything around her. Her comments were deeply intellectual and interesting, and she had such a way with words. Very articulate and creative; almost poetic.

What concerned me about Yeva was how little she smiled or laughed, although she seemed to wonder at the beauty around her. I knew she had a passion for many things such as dance, music and literature, but I still had the impression that she was laden with unhappiness. I believed that Yuri had noticed as well, for he frequently studied her face, with a worried expression. He knew that something was not quite right.

But somehow I knew that Yeva had a deep-rooted strength and could endure copious amounts of pain, and perhaps she had. Although I had great difficulty imagining her strength as I looked at her sleeping face now. She looked so innocent and fragile. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to protect her. No one would ever get close enough to hurt her again. That much I knew was true.

As I sat there watching her sleep, I considered the way that her eyes had burned into mine at dinner, like she was reading my soul. I had never felt so naked in my life. Nor had I ever felt so excited in my life. She had looked away in embarrassment and I had nudged her foot under the table with my own so that she would bring her eyes back to mine. When she had looked back up at me, I had been surprised with what I saw in her eyes.

Desire.

I froze, unable to look away. And I burned.

At that moment all I wanted was to be alone with her, to have her all to myself. I didn't want to share her with anyone; I wanted to possess her. I wanted to be the one to make her laugh. I wanted to watch the desire in her eyes as she looked at me.

Me.

The Vampire.

What was I doing?

How quickly she made me forget about my nature and my history. How quickly she made me forget everything in this world aside from her.

But when I was away from her and the spell was broken, the memories would slap me in the face. The memories had hit me later that night as I regurgitated the revolting human meal that I had consumed that evening. Beer and pasta. It was disgusting both times it passed through my mouth. I was once again dragging an innocent into my dark and damned world. I was not learning from my mistakes!

After we left the restaurant, Yeva and I made plans to meet before the ballet on the weekend. We decided to have an early dinner before meeting Yuri, Alice and Jasper at Lincoln Centre. That gave me a few days of torture - to simmer as I composed a list of all the reasons that this was wrong. But no matter what reasons I came up with, no matter how pressing, I could not convince myself to cancel. I don't suppose that I had ever been that nervous in my life. Not only was I terrified at my lack of control around Yeva (and I didn't mean bloodlust), but I was extremely worried about meeting Ivan Meretskov. Bella's husband and Yeva's father. It all felt incredibly odd. And wrong.

I was brought back to the present as Yeva muttered quietly to herself and turned over in her bed, snuggling deeper into the blankets.

My phone vibrated silently in my pocket. It was a text message from Alice.

_Sun will be out full force. Come home now_.

This was not good news. I now hated sunny days more than I ever could have imagined. Being away from Yuri and Yeva was so difficult for me. I looked at the clock on Yeva's bedside table and decided that I had better get home before I was stuck somewhere, waiting out the daylight hours. I noiselessly raised Yeva's window and jumped down six stories into the crunching snow, and ran in the direction of our flat.

By the time the sun set that evening I was a buzzing mass of nerves. Alice's happy mood was an excruciating contrast to my own dark mood, as she excitedly awaited Jasper's arrival. It had been almost a month since she had seen her husband, and while I felt guilty that I was the reason she had not seen him, and I was truly happy for her that they were to be reunited, I simply could not force myself to share in her excitement. As each sunny minute ticked by I slowly began to lose my mind.

When Alice finally nodded her head signaling the safe passage, I shot through the door and into the darkening street. When I got to Yuri and Yeva's apartment I listened carefully for their voices and heartbeats.

Nothing.

Not a sound.

I realized with a sudden panic that they must have gone out.

I knocked on their door to ensure my assumption. A feeling of foreboding overtook me and I was very aware that they had been left unprotected.

I had not seen a trace of Victoria since the coffee house, and I had no idea of her whereabouts or plans. For all I knew she was stalking the twins every step of the way and I was the fool standing by and allowing her to get close.

After a quick call to Alice confirming that she hadn't had any visions of the twins which meant they were together, I began compiling a list of all the places that they could be.

I began at school, checking all of the practice rooms and dance studios. I then checked the restaurants and coffee shops that I remembered them spending time in. I checked the library, the subway and made regular stops by their flat to see if they had returned home.

Nothing.

The panic was clouding my vision as I grasped in vain at any idea I could summon. If anything happened to them it would be my fault entirely.

Just when the ideas that were growing and mutating in my head began to take control, I remembered that I had Yuri's cell phone number programmed into my new phone. So simple. I whipped my phone and began to dial before I had even considered what I might say.

The phone rang quite a few times and just as those mutant ideas began to slip back into my mind, Yuri answered.

"Yes it is I to whom you are speaking." He slurred and laughed loudly into the phone. I heard laughing and loud music in the background and I guessed that they were in some sort of club.

"Hello, Yuri?" I asked, unsure of what reason I could possibly have for calling.

"Edward? Hey, what's up?"

"Nothing really." I replied in an attempt to sound bored. "Just wondering what you guys were up to tonight. Alice's husband, Jasper is arriving tonight and I am trying to stay out of their way."

"Oh, well we are downtown at this douchy Euro-trash club. Yeva slicked my hair into a faux-hawk. You should come join in my pain!" He laughed.

"Well anything is better than the alternative." I replied taking down the address he gave me. I grabbed the next cab that passed and headed toward the club.

It was already dark by the time I reached the club. I paid the taxi driver and stood on the street out front of the "douchy Euro-trash" club. There was a queue of sketchy looking people smoking out front and the windows of the old brick building were fogged. Once inside, I tried to sift through the scent of reeking humans and alcohol in search of my favorite smell of freesia. The club was quite dark, with exposed brick walls and concrete floors and flashing lights from the dance floor.

I saw Yuri before I smelled him. He was sitting at a table in the back taking a long swig from his beer bottle. His hair was in fact in a messy faux-hawk, and I laughed to myself. With his hair out of his face I could see so much of Bella in him and I felt warm inside.

I walked toward him still scanning the room for Yeva. I was flooded with relief as I saw her come up behind Yuri. She was wearing a plain, black cotton tank top, a pair of loose fitting, dark wash jeans (that were ripped to shreds in the knees) and black ballet flats. The strip of exposed creamy skin between her jeans and her shirt caught my eye and a strange feeling igniting in my centre, shooting down through my body.

Unable to stop myself, my eyes lingered on her form for another moment before I shook myself out of my trance.

What were these unfamiliar feelings?

As I got closer to Yeva my previous relief plummeted, as I noticed what was in her hands. She sat down at the table with Yuri placing a bottle of tequila, a lemon and a salt- shaker on the wooden surface. It was then that her eyes fell on me, and I quickly adjusted my facial expression to one of casual relaxation.

A rare smile lit up her face as she recognized me and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my own face at the unexpected pleasure of her smile. She looked away searching for a moment before reaching into the coat that was hanging on the chair behind her, and took out two shot glasses as I arrived at her side.

With deep concentration, she tipped the tequila bottle upside down, splashing tequila into the shot glasses, picked them up and thrust one in front of my face before downing her own and pouring a second. I poured the rank, burning liquid down my throat in disgust, with a blank expression on my face.

"Is this some sort of celebration?" I asked, wondering about the alcohol.

"Nyet, our father flies in tomorrow. I am preparing my mental state." She replied before grabbing Yuri's beer and taking a swig. I laughed uncomfortably, worrying that she would make herself sick.

"Anyway, sit down!" She said, pulling out a seat beside her.

She moved toward me as I sat on the hard wooden bar stool. I froze as she reached around my head pulling up the collar of my shirt and I could feel the warmth of her skin radiating around me.

"You must have a 'popped collah' if you are going to look like Euro-trash, Edward. You look simply too refined. Here let me help." She pulled away and dumped some water from a glass into her hands and swept in into my hair in an attempt to convince it into a faux-hawk like her brother. I noticed Yuri looking at me with an understanding expression, and it was obvious his hair had met a similar fate at the hands of Yeva.

The feeling of her fingers across my scalp sent shivers down my spine. Without my consent, my mind took a wild tangent, imagining her fingers through my hair in an entirely different situation.

I was literally shocked by my own inappropriate thoughts. My mind had not taken such a direction in over 100 years.

Not even with Bella.

Kissing Bella was so loving and tender, and had made me feel warm and tingly all over, but had never stirred these feelings. I had not even known that these feeling and sensations existed, and I had never felt so human. I closed my eyes and allowed her to work on my hair with pleasure.

"There." She seemed satisfied with the end product and began pouring us another shot. I shuddered before it even reached my lips.

Yuri was chatting with a group of older gentleman in German and Yeva and I were pretty much left alone.

"So, are you not looking forward to your father's arrival?" I asked, curious about her earlier comment. I had assumed that she would be close with her father since she shared his profession. He must be so proud of her.

"Hmmm, I am looking forward to it." She was no longer smiling. "But sometimes it is difficult between us." She looked into her empty shot glass. I was quiet. "He expects quite a lot from me and I maybe care too much about his opinion. He is one of the most important ballet dancers in the world, so I have some large shoes to fill and he is a little…impatient with me." She looked so sad, I couldn't bare it. I felt a spike of anger toward Ivan Meretskov. How could he not see how beautifully perfect and talented his daughter was?

"I think you are just as talented as your father, Yeva. I am sure that he is so proud of you!" I said trying to look her in the eyes, but she avoided my gaze. Something crossed her face and I could see immediately that our moment of sharing had been slammed shut. It upset me that this was a sensitive about this topic and my anger toward Ivan seethed.

"Anyway, cheers." She said downing another shot.

"Won't you be sick if you keep drinking like that?" I asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not." She shrugged. "So Edward, when are you going to play the piano for me? I have been waiting patiently, but have received no invitations." She pouted, teasing me, but I knew she was only trying to change the subject. "Maybe you will play for me on Saturday before the ballet? You could come to our place before dinner." She was smiling again and she seemed to be relaxing.

"I will play for you whenever you want. Anything for you, Yeva." I realized after I said it that I truly meant it.

The song that was playing came to an end and _The Electric Feel_ came on over the loud speakers. Yeva jumped to her feet and Yuri's attention left his conversation as he leapt over the back of his chair with uncensored enthusiasm. Yeva grabbed Yuri by the sleeve and they darted for the dance floor leaving me alone with the tequila. I watched them with a quiet happiness as they swung each other around the dance floor madly, laughing and bumping into the people around them. Even through the haze of alcohol, they both moved with such grace and beauty. I noticed again how they seemed to predict the others movements and adjust to each other, often mirroring the others movements. Seeing the friendship that they shared softened my dead heart and gave me hope for this world.

By the time they came back to the table the alcohol had really taken its toll on Yeva and she was stumbling a bit, colliding with Yuri. He helped to stabilize her and they both collapsed back into their chairs in a fit of giggles. Yeva's thick black hair had come loose from its low bun and tumbled down her back, reaching her perfect bottom. Although Yeva was still rather quiet and reserved, alcohol removed some of her inhibitions, and she seemed relaxed and content. She was laughing a lot and was actually quite silly. While I was still worried about her, I couldn't help but laugh at her silliness.

Yuri took a few shots of tequila and I realized that he was actually quite drunk as well. Yeva looked up at me, her cheeks flush from dancing.

"Hey, hey! Hey Edward! I will carry you all the way home if you give me ten dollars!" Yeva shouted over the music is a perplexing mix of Russian and English. I laughed at her, but her face became serious.

"No Edward. You give me ten dollars and I will carry you all the way home. I am freakishly strong, I promise you. And you are so nice so I will carry you home!"

"Well, if I am so nice Yeva, why won't you carry me home for free?" I teased.

"Nothing is free in this world Edward!" She laughed as I handed her a glass of water.

"Alright, Yeva, how about I give you ten dollars and I carry _you_ all the way home? Does that sound fair to you?" I asked innocently, smiling at her.

"Done." She said reaching out to shake my hand. She gasped slightly when my cold hand touched hers, and placed it against her burning cheek for a moment. She frowned and began to rub my hand between her hands and breathed warm air onto my fingers. I felt warm all over.

She released my hand and stood up. I stepped forward to scoop her up but she took a step away from me with a firm look on her face.

"Stop!" She said firmly. "I expect advance payment."

I laughed out loud and opened my wallet and took out a ten and handed it to her. I had never seen her behave in such a silly manner, except with Yuri and I felt touched that she felt comfortable enough around me to be herself.

"Thank you! Lets go Yuri." She called over her shoulder as I swept her stumbling, drunken form into my arms.

She brought her hand up to her mouth and stage whispered to Yuri; "What a sucker! I just made ten bucks!" and her head fell back as she giggled. My eyes met Yuri's and we smiled at each other conspiringly.

Yeva snuggled into my chest and I held her warm body tight. It felt so good to hold her in my arms. I had the same deep seeded urge to protect her as I had felt for Bella. The same dire need and love. The same electricity. But this was different somehow. Infinitely more intense.

Yeva ignited my body as well as my soul. I felt like maybe I could be good for her, although it went against every one of my principals and beliefs…but Yeva was different. I was learning that more and more everyday.

Although Yeva was quiet and solitary like her mother, Yeva had a strength that I had rarely seen in a human. I didn't think that Yuri and Yeva had a very easy life, but they were both bursting with life force. Yeva had an effervescence that could not be contained. She was so cultured and worldly. So talented and multi-faceted. I was in awe of her beauty.

The memory of her sleeping kiss lingered on my lips and the strange feeling shot through my body again, lingering in my groin. For the first time I recognized the feeling as sexual desire. It was such a strange and foreign sensation and didn't know what to do with myself, as I pulled her tighter into my body.

As we got into a taxi, Yeva closed her eyes and muttered to herself in Russian. Yuri and I chatted quietly in the back seat of the cab, discussing music. Yeva was fast asleep with her lovely head resting on my shoulder and her fingers tangled with mine. Although I was used to the combined scent of Yuri and Yeva, in the close quarters of the taxi, the smell was starting to make me dizzy. Although I knew I was in complete control, my mouth filled with venom and I swallowed deeply. Yuri looked at my face in confusion.

"Edward, your eyes are like…black. Are you feeling alright?" I could tell by his face that he was concerned.

"Oh, I guess I am a bit tired. I will be alright after a good nights sleep." I lied, looking away.

The taxi pulled up to the curb outside their apartment, I paid the fare and I slipped my arm under Yeva's knees and across her back, lifting her slight form gently out of the taxi.

She stirred in my arms, with a hum of contentment as Yuri and I walked up the long staircase to their flat. Yuri unlocked the door and I transferred Yeva into Yuri's strong arms.

"We have to fetch our father tomorrow from the airport so we won't be in class. But I guess we will see you at the ballet on Saturday?" Yuri whispered so as not to bother Yeva.

"Alright. I guess we will see you there." I turned and was walking down the hall when Yuri called me back.

"Can you hold on for a moment Edward?" He asked still holding Yeva.

"Of course." I replied, confused.

Yuri took Yeva inside the apartment and after a few moments he returned to the hallway. He walked toward me and put his arm around my shoulder, pulling us a little farther from the door.

"Do you have any idea what is going on with Yeva? She has always been a quiet girl, but lately she doesn't seem herself and I am beginning to worry. She won't talk to me about it, which really scares me because usually she tells me everything." He asked in a concerned tone.

"I wish I could tell you but I really don't know. I am sorry." I said, not wanting to reveal anything that I knew about Victoria.

"Hmmm. May I ask you something else?" He asked.

"Anything."

"Are you two together?"

I was completely taken aback and I suddenly realized that I didn't even know the answer to that question. He took my silence to mean something and continued on with his speech.

"Well, I have never seen her with anyone the way that she is with you. I think she really trusts you so you better not do anything to break that trust. She hasn't had an easy go of it lately and I don't think she could take any extra stress." He warned stepping back and raising his foot onto the wall behind him, with his arms crossed across his chest. Any human boy would have been intimidated.

"I promise, I would never let anything happen to her. She means a lot to me." I promised. And as I said the words, I knew how true they were. He still seemed wary of me, but he was satisfied for the moment.

"Alright Edward. Good to see you tonight." He slapped my back as he walked back into the flat. "Goodnight." He smiled.

"Goodnight Yuri. Tell Yeva I will see her Saturday."

"Will do."

I turned to walk down the dark stairway and into the cold night.

**End Notes: Another chapter come and gone. How is everyone doing out there? Drop me a line and let me know what you think! I would be thrilled to hear from you!**


	8. Ivan Meretskov

**CHAPTER NOTES:**

**I am so sorry for the delay. Real life became really intense and I couldn't bring myself to write. But the dust has settled and I really missed Edward…so here I am and I hope you can forgive me. I promise that chapters will be posted once a week again! Thank you for waiting and to all of you that sent me private messages.**

**This chapter was really hard to write, because so many things had to happen before I could move forward and I wasn't sure how I was going to fit them all in. I am back in the swing of things now and I can't wait to hear what you think. So here we go!**

**For those of you that enjoy a visual, here is a picture that resembled the dress that Yeva is wearing in this chapter:**

**.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/fireshot-capture-20-marcia-gay-harden-and-the-63rd-annual-tony-awards-pictures-the-insider-at-the-insider-www_theinsider_com_photos_2262190_marcia_gay_harden_and_the_63rd_annual_tony_**

I loved my brother very much. Although the distance between us for the last eighteen years had been palpable, I was filled with an unexpected and overwhelming sense of joy to see him tonight standing with Alice, holding her snuggly to his side. The look of uncertainty on his face slowly changed to a bright smile as he reacted to the emotions that emanated from me.

Until very recently I had not realized how very much I had missed my family over the last eighteen years. I had been blinded by rage in my miserable pursuit of Victoria, and consequently the love I felt for my family had been obscured; left dormant.

My relationship with Jasper had suffered the most after the events of Bella's eighteenth birthday, and guilt had beleaguered him. It had pained me that Jasper felt responsible for Bella's and my separation, and I had done my best to not blame him. I tried to love him unconditionally and never think about his part in the events, but I had often slipped. In the nadir of my wretchedness, anger had raged through me and I could not impede the thought that I too blamed him. At times I did nothing to censure my emotions, even though I knew that when the anger had ebbed back into sadness I would regret my treatment of Jasper. Bella's death intensified the anger I felt toward the world and my relationship with my family had blackened until I could no longer stand to be around them. It only felt right that I should leave to pursue Victory.

Now, all of those old feeling seemed so irrelevant as the three of us stood outside of Yuri and Yeva's apartment in the cold, silent night as fat wet snow flakes created a globe around us. Alice beamed as Jasper and I stood smiling at each other and a vision of Jasper and I embracing found its way into my mind. I stepped forward and Jasper followed suit as I clapped my hands firmly on his back, wrapping my arms around my brother. My brother. No words were necessary. Today we both understood that the past was finally dead.

As we pulled away from each other, Jasper looked into my face with concern.

_You need to hunt. How long has it been?_ He mentally questioned me.

"A while." I answered out loud, trying to think back to the last time that I had fed. It was not exactly easy to slip out for a quick meal in the middle of New York. Such a task was a time consuming process, one that I did not have time for.

"You go Edward. Jasper and I will be here. I promise that they will be safe." Alice pushed me gently. Her thoughts were of love for her family and for Yuri and Yeva. Jasper smiled lovingly at his wife and I knew that he wanted to do whatever he could to keep the twins safe.

It had been three days since I had been close to the twins. It was the most unpleasant feeling for I began to feel like my sanity was slipping and there was a chance that I had dreamed them up. I had gone up to Canada to hunt and I felt somewhat renewed as I walked down the long hallway to pick up Yeva for our dinner before the ballet that evening.

As I approached the door to their flat the sound of the piano filled my thoughts and I paused, listening to Yuri play. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes for a moment taking in the gentle melody. The first of the Trois Gymnopedies. It took my breath away with its melancholy and eccentric quality, and quieted my nervous soul. Yuri's playing, while not technically perfect, had an element of the supernatural. It was dark and haunting and effected one to the very core of one's being. Sort of like Yuri himself. His strange character had confused and intrigued me from day one and as I came to know him little by little the mystery did not dissolve but deepened.

I took one last jagged (and unnecessary) breath before I knocked on the door. Yuri's beautiful playing did not stop so I was surprised when Yuri himself answered the door. I stood confused for a moment as Yuri smiled at me brightly and spoke over the music of the piano.

"Hello Edward. You're early!" Yuri smirked proudly as I stood in the doorway gawking. He held the door open for me and I stepped into the entryway as the music surrounded me.

I looked past Yuri to see Yeva sitting at the piano with a look of deep concentration on her face and a spoon in her mouth, her slim fingers moving elegantly over the keys. I saw a jar of peanut butter sitting on the piano top and chuckled to myself as I understood the spoon in her mouth.

The piece came to an end and Yeva looked up and met my eyes. I didn't move. I didn't breath. My mouth hung open as I stared at the beautiful creature before me. Her mass of silky black hair hung wildly in loose curls around her shoulders, down her back to her bottom, and tangled in the spoon that hung from her lips. Her luminescent porcelain skin was directly contrasted by her sparkling black strapless dress, which was fitted around her torso and billowed out at her waist like a tutu. Her shining green eyes stared back at me from underneath her ridiculously long black lashes and her perfect red mouth was wrapped seductively around the spoon. I had never seen such beauty in all my long years and I was speechless.

She removed the spoon from her mouth and placed it next to the jar of peanut butter with a clatter.

"Hi." She almost whispered.

"Hi." I smiled back shyly. The last time that Yeva and I had spoken she was demanding payment for me to carry her home before I swept her up into my arms. I understood that this was not usual behavior for her and that she might be feeling embarrassed by the memory. I myself took great pleasure in remembering that evening and I smiled to myself before setting out to put her at ease.

"I apologize for showing up here early." I began, "I just wanted to make sure that we had enough time to talk over dinner before the ballet." I said in a low voice. I could hear Yuri in the kitchen preparing his own meal, crashing cupboards closed and chopping vegetables.

"I am glad you are here because I do recall that you promised to play for me." She smiled, "Or don't you remember?" Yeva patted the rickety piano bench next to her, shifting over slightly to make room for me. I sighed dramatically and sat down next to her with feigned reluctance. As I looked down at her slender legs next to my larger longer legs I could feel her warmth penetrating my impenetrable skin and I wished that we could sit here together forever.

Before I could even make a selection of pieces, my fingers were on the keys as though they knew better than I what to play. It took my a few moments to realize what I was playing.

Clair de Lune.

I had refused to listen to that song for 18 years and now as my fingers worked across the keys I felt as though I was letting go. I felt as though my happiness would be an ode to my beautiful Bella. To Yeva's mother. As I played, my feeling of release began to build and I poured my soul into the piece and let it fly in my heart, reviving the thaw, releasing the grief that lived there. All the anguish that I had felt from the moment of Bella's death rose to the surface and I allowed to it flow through me without resistance. I owed this to Bella. I owed it to her to face this sadness and carry through it. To the last note.

When I had finished I sat for a moment (or maybe hours) to allow the peace to surround me. My head was swimming with happy memories of my short time with Bella and at first I did not notice that Yeva's breathing was quiet and low. I turned toward her and looked at her beautiful profile and was surprised to see silent tears streaming down her face and she looked down into her lap. Uncertainty rose inside of me and I reached my hand across to pull her chin up toward me and looked into her eyes questioningly, but her gaze would not meet mine. I had not seen Yeva cry before except in her sleep and I was startled.

"My mother." She breathed out after a moment. "My mother. Clair de Lune reminds me of her." She whispered. I listened for Yuri in the kitchen but he was still and quiet. My mind was suddenly spinning again. Did Bella play Clair de Lune for her babies? Did she think of me when she heard it?

"I am so sorry Yeva." I whispered as I tucked her hair behind her ear.

"No, no. Thank you. It was so beautiful. I have never heard it more beautifully played."

A small sad smile graced her lips. "My mother died when I was only one year old in a car accident. I don't remember her very well, but I often dream of her."

I froze.

A car accident?

Could Yeva possibly not know the truth of how her mother died? Had Ivan kept the violent truth from them? I took a deep breath to process this new information and tried to conceal my raging thoughts.

"I don't remember this but my father told us that my mother used to play Clair de Lune for us as babies." She verified my mental questions as she smiled through her tears, lost in her childhood memories. "So Yuri and I grew up listening to it to try to be closer to her, and when I dream of my mother I can always hear it playing off in the distance somewhere. Like she is with me when I dream." Yeva and I sat in silence for a while until our thoughts were interrupted by a loud crashing of pots on the wooden floors of the kitchen.

"For fuck sake!" Yuri cursed and I cringed but Yeva seemed un-phased.

"What the hell are you doing in there?" Yeva yelled over her shoulder smiling.

Yuri cursed again under his breath and Yeva giggled.

"He turns into a werewolf when he is hungry. He has ever since he was a child." She giggled again and I took a deep breath or relief for the change in atmosphere.

"Speaking of food, we should leave. I made a reservation for dinner at Levana. I hope that is alright." I asked quickly taking out my handkerchief and drying Yeva's tears softly. Yeva smiled, standing gracefully.

"Oh, Levana sounds lovely! I am actually starving." She said stretching her arms up and curving her back.

"Hence the peanut butter." I almost gasped as I stared at her curves and Yeva laughed quietly.

She walked toward the door and I followed behind, helping her to put on her long woolen red coat. As she slipped on her little black heels I could not help but stare at her beautiful legs and once again my mind was in an inappropriate place. I shook my head discreetly to rid myself of such impure thoughts.

I offered her my arm and we left.

All through dinner I could not take my eyes from Yeva. She hummed when she enjoyed her food, I discovered. She was also heartbreakingly well mannered, like she was a Russian Princess. The candlelight made her skin glow and her eyes look haunting. Although our conversing was rich with intrigue and fascination, Yeva was a much more quiet than I was used to her being and avoided my eyes, which frustrated me to no end. . I found it very difficult to break through her walls but my passion and curiosity spurred me on. Her eyes were the only insight I had into her deep soul. But I could tell that something was bothering Yeva this evening and I began to wonder if there was something that had upset her. She was so fragile beneath her strength and I wanted to protect her with a ferocity that I didn't know I was capable of.

We talked about school and about Yuri and she asked about my family and my life before Julliard. It was when I questioned her about her father's arrival that she really seemed to shut down. He had been in New York for several days now and I suddenly realized that she had not mentioned his presence at all.

"So have you had the opportunity to spend much time with your father since he got in?" I asked curiously. I had not yet laid eyes on Ivan Meretskov and my interest and irritation were growing by the moment. Her eyes darkened at my mention of her father, and she shifted uncomfortably in her seat as her face became blank to hide her sadness.

"Um…no actually. He has been very busy with the company and hasn't really had much free time. But that is what I expect. That is how it has always been." She took a sip of her wine and held it in her mouth for a moment before swallowing. The easy conversation of dinner came to an abrupt halt, but I now understood the reason for her melancholy at the very least. I quickly steered the conversation in a safer direction as I passed my master card over to our waiter. When the bill was settled I helped Yeva into her coat and we made our way into the chilly night toward Lincoln Centre.

As we walked the dark and narrow corridors backstage of Lincoln Centre, Yeva held my hand tight and didn't let go. I caught her several times glancing up at my face in the darkness. Her heart was beating rapidly and I wondered at her nervousness, for even in this dark corridor she hid her emotions…I assumed it was a habit acquired over many years of self protection. I surmised that she was anxious about seeing her father and this upset me greatly. A girl should never be this nervous to see her father.

As we came to the end of the hallway there were a great many dancers stretching and quietly chatting among themselves. An excited energy lingered in the air and most of the dancers seemed thrilled to be in New York. A lot of them were nervous about the upcoming performance and were silently critiquing their own style and ability. A few of the dancers recognized Yeva and smiled shyly as she passed but Yeva appeared not to notice as though she were in her own little world. A few of the dancer's thoughts caused my anger to boil. They were jealous and mean spirited. Jealous of Yeva's talent and beauty. I tried to shut the thoughts out but was assaulted by the even more vile thoughts of the male dancers and they admired Yeva's wild splendor and pictured having her for themselves. The blue lighting from the curtain covered stage shone into the backstage passageway, only softened by the little yellow lamps scattered around for the performers.

Against the backdrop of the long velvet red curtain, standing head to head with Yuri, was Ivan Meretskov. I had never before seen him in the flesh. Only in glossy magazine spreads and P.R. pieces in newspapers, some of which he was standing next to a blushing Bella. I had tried to pry those memories from my mind, but at the same time I often felt a flutter of bittersweet happiness to see Bella's beaming face. Never in the time leading up to Bella's death had I felt that I made the wrong choice, not even in the very depths of my misery. Bella had found love. She had found a new life. She had given birth to beautiful babies. I saw photos of Bella with her babies and Ivan and she looked so happy. How could I have regretted my decision?

Ivan Meretskov was every bit as impressive in person as in print. He was perhaps about my height with broad shoulders and a mass of salt and pepper hair, which I assumed was once jet black. His intelligent eyes were the same startling green as his children and he maintained the same serious expression on as Yeva usually wore. His muscular and elegant stature stood with an intimidating confidence and presence. He laughed again at Yuri's words and squeezed his shoulder slightly. He looked over as he saw us approaching with a strange look on his face. Yeva released my hand and walked into his arms and as father and daughter they made contact Yeva's heart leapt. He held her tight and smiled softly down at the top of her head. Yuri walked over to me and patted my back as he walked toward the lobby.

"How is my little princess?" Ivan whispered tenderly in Russian. He pulled her away and looked at her face. His thoughts were bursts of memory and I saw flashes of Bella as he looked into Yeva's eyes and compared the two. He thought to himself with sadness how shocking it was to see Yeva after an extended absence because he seemed to forget her resemblance to her mother. He then pictured Yeva as a little girl running into his arms in her black tutu, quite similar to the dress that she was wearing now, and his smile broadened.

"Father, there is someone that I would like you to meet." Yeva said pulling back and gesturing toward me. Ivan's piercing eyes met mine. The moment we made contact a startling image crossed his mind, shocking me completely. In his mind I could see a picture of Bella in a blue prom gown with me standing next to her in my tuxedo.

I froze where I stood watching the memory surge through his mind. Bella in her old bedroom. Boxes being packed. Loose floor boards. Bella grabbing the photo from Ivan and looking down at the picture with an indecipherable expression. I waited for Ivan to react but his face did not show anything of what was in his mind.

I was ready to act in response, to control the damage with carefully crafted manipulation, but it turned out to be unnecessary. The image faded quickly as Ivan considered the similarities between me and the boy in the picture and he reached forward to shake my hand. He then dismissed the thought as an impossibility…I could not be the same person as in the picture. I looked so young.

"This is my…our friend Edward Cullen." I noticed her hesitation and wondered again what was in her mind. Was she questioning our status as I was? "He is a pianist like Yuri at Juilliard and is very talented." Ivan jolted again at my name. Memories of a sleeping Bella. Screaming my name. Ivan was trying to wake her up, wondering who Edward was and what he had done to his beloved Bella. The memory ceased as quickly as it began as Ivan tried to clear his head of Bella.

"It is a pleasure to meet you sir." I said in polite Russian, trying to sound natural and not like my heart was breaking. This was Bella's husband. This was the man that she had loved after me…perhaps the man that helped her find happiness after I ripped her life apart.

"Hello Edward." He replied shaking my hand firmly with distrust in his thoughts. I waited to see if the picture of Bella and I returned to his mind, but he was becoming distracted by the evenings performance. "I hope you don't mind but I must get back to my dressing room. I hope that I will have a chance to see my children and their friends again after the ballet?" He asked smiling courteously. He looked back to Yeva and ruffling her hair as he turned to walk in the direction of the dressing rooms without further words, his mind so preoccupied that he did not notice the sadness in his daughters eyes. He was fooled by her stoic, empty expression.

"Good luck." Yeva called after him. He did not turn around. His mind was already a whirlwind of dance and Bella. I tried to distract Yeva as quickly as I could and tugged gently on her fingers.

"Let's go and find your brother and Alice, alright?" But Yeva didn't look my way.

"He is not usually like that." Yeva apologized for her father, seeming not to hear me. "He is just caught up in the ballet right now." She shook her head and continued to look after him. I could hear the sadness in her voice and it made my heart ache. My previous anger toward Ivan raged within me. It seemed to me that he was having trouble looking at the young Yeva without painful memories of Bella. He was also so wrapped up with work that he didn't see how much his children needed him. I took Yeva's face in both of my hands and forced her to look into my eyes. I didn't say anything I just smiled at her and showed her my attention. After a few moments my efforts were rewarded as a quiet smile graced her lips. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with a hint of tears that refused to fall and she fell forward into my arms. I held her as strongly as I dared and breathed in her divine scent.

"I am so glad you are here." Yeva whispered in Russian into my chest. I know she did not mean for me to hear and that made me all the more joyful. When she pulled away, I wrapped my arm around her waist and led her out toward the lobby where I knew that Jasper and Alice were waiting.

In the bright lights and buzzing crowd of the lobby I spotted Alice and Yuri conversing while Jasper carried three wine glasses back toward them from across the room. Both Alice and Jasper looked over as soon as Yeva and I walked into the room. Jasper's eyes fell on Yeva and he marveled in her similarities to Bella, followed quickly by an appreciation of her beauty and grace. His eyes then found mine and he smiled warmly. When we finally reached Alice and Yuri, Jasper was there handing out wine glasses. He sacrificed his own to Yeva along with his introduction.

"Hello Yeva." He nodded to her as he handed a glass to Yuri.

"You must be Jasper." Yeva smiled "I have heard so much about you and your family and I have been so looking forward to meeting you." When Jasper had handed out the wine glasses he stepped forward and shook Yeva's hand. Yeva looked over at a beaming Alice and smiled warmly at the two of them. Jasper's mind was blood lust free and I felt so proud of my brother.

_Jasper cannot feel their emotions when they are together!_ Alice thought excitedly.

I tried not to look surprised as I took this new bit of information in. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised since neither Alice nor I were successful in breaking through. But were they immune to every power? My feeling of wonder swung quickly to a cold panic as I thought of the wrong kind of vampire falling upon this information. We had to ensure that no one discovered the anomaly that was Yuri and Yeva.

My thoughts were interrupted when the chime sounded, alerting us all that the ballet was about to start and we made our way to our balcony seats.

The ballet was lovely. Although I was struck by the beauty of the performance, especially the artful dancing of the famed Ivan Meretskov, my attention was mostly on Yeva. Her silent and still form sitting next to me in the dark theatre. My entire system was alight with a buzzing energy that seemed to fill the entire auditorium. Her eyes transfixed on the stage, watching the story unfold warmed my long dead heart. Her deep warm breaths filled the air with her sweetness. I felt that warmth travel down my body in new and exciting ways. What a place for such thoughts! As though she felt my gaze on her she slowly turned her face toward mine. She reached across my knee for my hand and slid her tiny fingers between my own and our palms met sending waves of current through my body and she started.

"Did you feel that?" She whispered. I widened my eyes and nodded. A quiet smile reached her eyes as she turned her gaze back to the stage. I felt like I was floating on air and Jasper turned around in his seat to look at me in confusion

.

_Edward…what is going on?_

I simply turned my own gaze away from him and watched the rest of the ballet.

When the lights came on again and the audience buzzed with excitement from the ballet we left our seats to go back stage once again. Yuri and Yeva both seemed anxious to see their father so Alice and Jasper and I walked a ways behind them catching up on each others lives. Jasper kept looking at me questioningly but I refused to give him any sort of explanation. I had to discover first for myself what was going one before I could share with anyone else.

We waited for Ivan for half an hour. One hour. Two hours. Yeva's sadness grew as Yuri anger and hostility intensified and he began to mutter to himself under his breath.

When Ivan finally came out of the dressing room he looked haggard. He quickly apologized, stating that he was exhausted and that he needed to go back to the hotel to sleep. Jasper's thoughts verified my earlier suspicions that Ivan found it difficult to look at Yeva without becoming lost in grief over his long dead wife. He insisted on leaving immediately. He was dismissive when Yuri protested, but he promised Yuri and Yeva that he would see them in the morning for breakfast before he flew out at 2pm. He hugged both of his children before leaving with some of the other dancers and Yeva quietly watched him walk away.

"Asshole." Yuri muttered under his breath and he reached down and squeezed Yeva's hand. Yeva sighed audibly and claimed that she too was exhausted and though it was best that she go home to bed. My heart ached for them and Jasper shot me another confused glance.

We all shared a taxi with the pretense of dropping Yuri and Yeva off before heading to our own apartment, but I would really be staying near by. I would never leave them alone.

As the taxi pulled up in front of the twin's apartment Yuri and Yeva said their goodbyes and made plans to get together again before Jasper left town. I got out with them and turned to Alice and Jasper.

"Just wait for me, I will be right back." I said as I closed to taxi door behind me. As Yeva walked toward the door to the building she turned around and smiled questioningly at me.

"I just wanted to walk you up and make sure that you are alright." I explained smiling down at her. Yeva's heart skipped a beat as I held the door for her.

Yeva giggled as I half dragged her up the stairs and she pretended to snore into my shoulder. Yuri laughed ahead of us as he took the stairs two at a time. I could tell that he was also upset about his father and worried about Yeva.

As we walked down the hallway to their apartment my vision darkened.

I suddenly had chills up and down my body and I felt a strange energy lingering in the air. I glanced around me anxiously searching for a sign that something was askew, but I could see no reason for my instincts to be going haywire.

And then I smelled it. Something dark and powerful. My throat burned and my body tensed.

As we came closer to the apartment door the smell became stronger and stronger.

I suddenly realized that the scent was coming from inside the apartment and fear tore through my heart and exploded through my nervous system.

As Yuri's hand reached for the door knob understanding hit me, propelling me into action, releasing Yeva's hand and moving as quickly as I could without rousing suspicion.

"Yuri no!" I yelled after him leaping to stop him from opening the door, but suddenly everything was moving in slow motion and I was too late. He was in the apartment.

"Oh God! Oh Jesus!" Yuri yelled as he flipped the lights on, his voice full of shock and fear. I ran after him into the apartment and Yeva ran behind me.

My throat burned and adrenaline surged through my brain.

My head spun from the smell and from the shock.

I heard Yeva gasp behind me as she came into the apartment.

Yuri began to hyperventilate as he fell to his knees in front of me, splashing his clothes in a crimson fluid.

The entire apartment, from ceiling to floor, was dripping in hot blood.

* * *

**END NOTES:**

**Dinna fash! The next chapter is written and ready for final editing. It should hopefully be up within a few days. The more reviews I get the faster it will be posted! *winks* I would also like to mention that within the next few chapters Edward and Yeva's physical relationship will intensify infinitely. To the point of lemony. In case that is your thing.**

**REVIEW!!!!**


	9. Dark Forest

Chapter Notes: So here we are, another chapter. I would just like to thank you all for reading/reviewing/favouriting/PMing…it means a lot to me. The story is going to pick up the pace a little from here and I am almost to the chapter that inspired this story. So without further ado…the next chapter.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

My spine was a spear.

It held my useless flesh erect with some unknown power from a nightmare.

With a howl in my chest, I took a step further into the hot, red room toward Yuri. My thoughts swam behind my eyes and my mouth was full of sand, choking me, suffocating me.

I had been here before.

One time in a previous life - an alternate universe, I had visited this bloody hell. Yuri had been with me. And my mother was dead.

I had never actually fainted before in all my life and I had always imagined what it might feel like to unwilling fall asleep where I stood.

In reality, it was not much like that. Black dots covered my retina and I fought furiously against the blackness, digging my slippery fingernails into the skin of my palm to force my physical being into submission.

Yuri needed me and I needed to reach him, for I could see the black demons creeping toward the center of my consciousness like smoke under a door.

I needed to rip him from here.

I looked through the blur of red toward my brother. He was on his hands and knees staring down at his fingers as he splashed into the red river. It reminded me of the dream that had haunted me nights ago. I knew then instinctively that Yuri was being held down – pushed down by that strange force.

But someone had pulled me up, cold strong arms had pulled me up. I had to pull him up.

My toes splashed through hot liquid on the floor and I moved toward my brother, trying to see through the black netting that covered my face as though I were shrouded by my mind; my subconscious trying to protect me from these garish scenes. Trying to hide me from the scene before my eyes now, and the scene at the back of my mind pushing to the front, forcing its way before my eyes.

My mother.

Yuri and I covered in blood.

A woman with red eyes and long red hair.

A screeching buzzing in my ears.

I couldn't make it to Yuri. I screamed his name. But I was under.

Black.

Cold.

It was so quiet.

I began to drift in and out of consciousness, my eyes heavy with dark memories that I could not place. As I swam to the surface of awareness, the silence became still and as I broke the surface it bounded me.

I breathed in and out, comforted by the rhythm.

I was in a gloriously comfortable bed, wrapped in soft, sweet smelling linens. The only sound was the intermittent rustling of pages turning somewhere near me.As I lay in bed, (what bed was this?) I could hear the silence ringing in my ears. It was such an unfamiliar sensation after the constant white noise of New York.

The peace of my surroundings incited memories from my childhood. The dark quiet stone hallways of my childhood home.

The calm of the enveloping forest.

As my memories danced in my mind's eye, something began to tug at my waking thoughts. Something was nipping at my subconscious. Why was it so quiet? I slowly opened my eyes to a dim, lamp lit room. I stilled my body and my breathing as my eyes adjusted to the lighting. It was an unfamiliar ceiling with ornate crown moulding. There was a muted light coming from a stain glass lamp beyond the foot of the bed and it reflected softly off the satiny, cream and floral wallpaper. A heavy white comforter covered me, making it difficult to move, but providing a feeling of protection. The tip of my nose was chilled and I sniffed in the silence.

Where was I?

"Are you awake?" A voice whispered somewhere close by. I had known someone was there. Reading a book.

"Yuri?" I whispered back, suddenly sure it was my brother. "Where are we?" I asked sitting up, pushing the heavy down comforter away from me.

Yuri was sitting across the room by the lamp on an oversized white silk armchair, reading from a leather bound book. He set the book down between his legs and exhaled loudly.

"We are just out of Montreal. At Edward's family home. Jasper drove us here through the night." Yuri put his face in his hands scrubbing at his eyes and sighed deeply. He seemed fatigued.

"What happened?" I asked as the memories started to wave over me, my throat suddenly dry.

As I regained full wakefulness, I began to have a dream-like memory of being in the back seat of a car. My head resting on Edward's cold hard shoulder. Yuri sobbing.

I remember in my haze reaching out and clasping Yuri's hand before retreating quickly to the cover of my black sleep - to the safety of nothingness.

The memory of our pulsing red apartment.

The memory of the sickening smell of blood filled my senses and my stomach lurched.

I jumped out of the tall bed, untangling my leg from the crisp cotton sheets and nearly tripped over a metal bucket, sending it clanking on its side as I dropped to my knees.

I didn't have time to think. I doubled over, grasping the bucket and retched down into the very bottom of the dark hole.

Thank God for this bucket.

I heard the flick of a switch and bright lights filled the room outside of the bucket. Yuri's hot fingers pulled my hair away from the back of my neck and roped it into a bun, holding it there until my stomach was empty and I was choking on burning stomach acid. My body was shaking and Yuri calmly rubbed my back, humming some indecipherable tune.

I heard a door creak open as I heaved my last ejection, gasping deep choking breaths. My knees shook under me and I was having trouble supporting myself.

I heard some whispering above my head, Yuri's fingers released my hair, and I was lifted off the floor by strong cool arms. Edward swung me up and around, hooking his arm under my knees and carried me back to the bed, like I was weightless.

When Edward stepped back to remove the bucket he revealed a beautiful woman standing behind him. She had long wavy caramel hair and rich golden eyes, much like Edward's. Her look of worry and compassion warmed me to the core. She stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed, and with a white cloth, she gently smoothed my forehead. The cloth was cool and damp, and it felt so heavenly that I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply.

"There you are dear. You are safe now. No one can reach you." Her voice was low and clear as a bell, and so tender. My eyes filled with tears at her concerned, soft voice. It was so full of love and care that my soul ached for a mother. I had never in my memory experienced the sensation of being mothered. I sat forward slightly and fell into her arms. She was cold and hard like Edward and I cried miserably into her beautiful silk blouse. She held me fiercely, holding me tighter with every howl, tenderly smoothing my hair down my back.

A mother. Edward's mother. I wanted her.

I needed a mother so badly. A mother that was not staring at me with lifeless eyes, crippled and soaked with blood.

Oh God, blood.

My stomach twisted sickeningly and I writhed in the woman's arms.

"The bucket..." I managed to mumble as I desperately shoved the beautiful mother away from me. Before I had a chance to ruin that beautiful silk blouse the bucket was under my chin and I dry heaved until I thought I was choking on sand. After what felt like an endless cycle I was finished. I was too exhausted to hold myself up so I sunk quietly back into the soft mattress. As my blissful dark blanket of sleep covered me, I felt the soft down comforter pulled over my still body and the cool, moist cloth touching my face. The whispering continued around me as I slipped away.

I was bathed in sunlight. It warmed my bones and brightened my spirit.

I stretched my legs into the cold area under the covers and raised my stiff arms above my head. My back cracked all the way up my spine and I smiled to myself. I must not have moved at all last night.

I slowly opened my eyes as I took in the room around me. In the day light, it was a much different world. The vague shadows of demons seemed hard to fathom in this peaceful setting. The cream wallpaper glowed as the sun poured into the room through the large window.

I sat up looking at the vase of white lilies on the bedside table and the soft Monet-like paintings that adorned the walls. The ceilings sloped gracefully down toward the dark wooden floors and little rainbows danced around the room from the crystal hanging in the window. The silk armchair in the corner was empty now and Yuri's book lay abandoned on its seat. I pushed the blanket back, and put my bare feet down onto the warm wooden floor. I was wearing a soft lavender flannel pyjama set that I had never seen before. I wondered to whom the pyjamas belonged and who had taken the care to change me out of my scratchy tulle dress.

I remembered the beautiful woman that had held me last night. She must be Edward's mother Esme, who I had heard so much about. She had taken care of me.

I stood to look out the window and saw forest, a thick mass of trees and I felt a twinge in my heart. It had been so long since I had seen such a forest. I suddenly missed the dark forests of Russia.

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Hello?" I called in a quiet voice.

The door slowly creaked open and Edward appeared. He was dressed in a lovely hand knit woollen jumper and a pair of straight leg dark wash jeans. His hair was in its usual chaotic disarray and his eyes looked black - a stark contrast to the brilliant warm sun. He was stunning.

He held a large, white fluffy towel under his arm and a steaming mug in his hand. He looked uncertain standing there, but for some reason my voice was stuck in my throat and could not put him at ease.

I stepped out of the sunlight and closer to him. He looked right into my eyes and must have seen something there because he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

He set the mug down on the dresser, tossed the towel on the armchair and closed the distance between us with a determined, even stride, pulling me roughly into his arms.

At first I stiffened in surprise but after his embrace registered in all the pleasure receptors in my body I melted into his arms, crushing myself into his hard body vehemently. We held each other like this for a while and I began to feel all of my fear and worry thaw and run down my back, pooling at my feet.

I was left with a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. I breathed him in deeply, inhaling his unique and beautiful scent. Something inside of me began to shift. Somewhere deep within me a chemical reaction occurred and set in motion an odd stirring.

The swift realization that I was being held by a beautiful man, a man that seemed to always be there when I needed him, made me feel lightheaded.

I took another deep breath into his chest and I began to notice the rock hard muscles under his clothing. He was so strong. And tall. I felt so small in his arms as he held me flush against his body.

Warmth spread across my cheek and an electrical current run through the centre of my body. Images of his body pressing me down into the bed came to my mind unbidden and my breathing became shallow and quick.

What an odd and unfamiliar reaction!

Edward must have noticed my strange behaviour because he suddenly and abruptly pulled me away from his body.

I flushed and looked down at my bare feet on the dark wood.

Edward sighed deeply and kissed the top of my head. When I looked up into his eyes, his expression was unreadable. But as his gaze met mine something flashed across his face. He slowly leaned in again and kissed my cheek, his cool lips vital against my fiery skin.

He withdrew with a confused look on his face, but immediately returned to kiss my other cheek.

I was starting to feel very hot under my pyjamas and wanted very much to take them off completely.

Edward turned and walked back toward the door and retrieved that mug and the towel.

"Please. There is a washroom right there. You will feel better after a hot shower." He smiled, handing me the towel and the steaming mug, which turned out to be fragrant black coffee. I took a large gulp of hot coffee as a distraction, burning my throat perfectly, warming my belly. The towel was soft and fluffy.

"Yuri told me that you take your coffee black. I hope it is alright."

"Yes, thank you." I whispered as Edward kissed my cheek once more before he turned and walked again to the door.

"When you are finished, Esme has prepared breakfast for everyone. Yuri is downstairs with my family and everyone is eager to meet you." He smiled shyly and closed the door behind him.

I breathed in deeply, trying to suppress my burgeoning feelings for Edward. Whatever they were. Apparently they were not purely emotional. I wondered if my feelings were reciprocated and a prickly twinge of yearning plunged into my heart. I shook my head violently to rid myself of all unwanted thoughts.

I turned and opened the door that Edward identified as the washroom, excited by the prospect of a hot shower.

The washroom was very large and beautiful. The sloped ceilings were covered in rose coloured floral wallpaper and there was an enormous porcelain, claw foot tub next to the beautiful glass shower. The window was large and had a lovely window seat covered in pillows. There were many glass bottles on the white porcelain counter containing aqua blue liquids. A toothbrush still in the wrapper sat next to the toothpaste. I brushed my teeth for quite a long time to rid my mouth of the night before. I brushed my hair thoroughly before I stepped under the steaming hot water that fell from the rain showerhead.

After washing my hair with some of the wonderful smelling aqua-blue liquid I stepped out of the shower and dried off, wrapping the huge towel around me. I stepped back into the bedroom, which now felt cool compared to the steaming washroom. I looked over to the bed and was surprised to see it had been made perfectly in my absence and there were some clothes carefully folded on the bed.

These people had skills! I had never experienced such hospitality.

I tied my soaking hair into a knot on the top of my head and stepped into the lacy black underwear and matching bra and a pair of soft black corduroy pants that fit me perfectly. I pulled a long red cashmere sweater over my head and relished in the soft fabric. Cashmere was my favourite.

My hair was already falling out of the knot and drying in funny little curls all around my face, but I was so hungry I did not feel like dealing with it at the moment. Leaving a pair of socks forsaken on the bed, I opened the bedroom door and stepped into the quiet hallway.

A collection of paintings hung throughout the hallways, some beautiful and some eerie. I was eager to see more. At the end of the hallway hung one giant piece of art that looked somewhat like an assortment of graduation caps. How strange.

I descended the dark wooden stairs and down a hallway, following the sound of my brother laughing and a booming deep voice speaking animatedly. I walked into a massive kitchen with floor to ceiling windows looking out on a river and the sound of a fire crackling in the stone hearth. There was an enormous wooden butcher-block style island covered in fruits and pastries, elegantly displayed. There were so many people crowded into the kitchen and when I walked in everyone became silent.

Edward and my brother stood next to the most enormous man I had ever seen. He might have been intimidating but for his cute curly black hair and smile induced dimples. He stared at me with a stunned expression, and I wondered if I had forgotten an article of clothing. To his right was a knockout blonde woman who was also staring at me in astonishment, sending a strange feeling to the pit of my stomach. They all looked at me as though they knew me.

Across the kitchen, Jasper leaned his back against the counter and Alice stood between his legs and his arms wrapped around her torso. The beautiful mother, Esme had a coffee pot in her hand and she smiled at me warmly. I smiled back as I looked into her beautiful golden eyes.

There was a stunning blonde man next to her with the same kind golden eyes. He too looked at me with surprise, but his expression quickly turned to one of welcome and warmth. And I felt welcome and warm.

Edward stepped forward taking my hand and leading me into the centre of the kitchen.

"Yeva, this is my brother Emmett and my sister Rosalie." He gestured toward the enormous bear of a man. Emmett's booming voice once again took me by surprise and he roughly took my hand and shook it. I noticed that his hand was very cold. And hard. So strange!

"Yeva!! Welcome to the family! We have waiting to meet you for some time now!" Emmett smiled down at me.

"Pleased to meet you Emmett!" I almost whispered.

"Hello Yeva." Rosalie shook my hand, with no warmth in her face at all. Her hand was cold. Hard. I suddenly felt slightly uneasy.

Edward put his hand on the small of my back and led me toward Esme.

"I would like to officially introduce you to my mother, Esme." Edward said with a soft tone to his voice. I could hear all the love and admiration that he felt for this obviously wonderful woman. Esme's golden eyes sparkled joyfully as I reached my hand out to her. She swiftly moved forward and embraced me tightly.

"We are so glad to have you here, dear. We are all so happy to have you in our lives." She held me tightly against her cold hard body and just like the night before I felt so safe and loved.

"Thank you Esme." I whispered against her shoulder. When we pulled away, Edward turned me toward the kind eyed blond man.

"And this is my father Carlisle." Edward said smiling hugely.

"It is a pleasure, dear Yeva. You are every bit as lovely as Edward described." Carlisle smiled shaking my hand.

"Thank you sir." I replied blushing, my eyes flickering to Edward.

Alice then stepped forward and pulled me into an enthusiastic embrace, picking me up and swinging me around a little bit and I laughed out loud.

"Oh, you look perfect in that sweater, Yeva. And I knew that red was your colour. You have the perfect skin for it!" She squealed and I laughed again. Alice always made me feel warm inside.

"Thank you so much Alice. I am glad I am not still wearing that uncomfortable dress. It was making me crazy!" I remembered trying to make it through the ballet as the tulle irritated my skin.

At that moment, the sun drifted behind a cloud and soft snowflakes began to fall.

"So we are in Montreal then?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Well just outside of Montreal." Edward said behind me. "I took you both straight here after I called the police. I didn't know what else to do and I thought it best we get out of the city. The police are still going to want to speak to you when we return." I turned to Edward touching his arm in an attempt to comfort him, my own stomach plummeting. The thought of returning to that apartment chilled me to the bone. "I called your father and explained the situation to him. He wanted to come and see you, but his plane is leaving this afternoon. I had completely forgotten about my father.

"Yeva! Eat something, poor girl! You must be starving!" Esme said, pouring me a second cup of coffee and handing it to me with a matching white rose patterned bone china plate.

"And you better hurry before Yuri inhales it all!" Emmett said, teasing Yuri and punching his shoulder.

"Oh yes, and you look like you hardly get anything to eat! You are absolutely wasting away there, buddy!" Yuri retorted stuffing a scone into his mouth and chasing it was a gulp of coffee. Emmett's laugh filled the room and I felt the joy reverberate in my bones, turning my thoughts away from New York. I smiled helping myself to some pineapple as everyone joined in the laughter.

Last night seemed like a million years away, but in lingered in the back of my mind. Something had happened in our apartment. It was so much like my dream...it was too much of a coincidence. That woman with the red hair in the washroom...the blood. I didn't know where my mind was trying to take me, but I was terribly afraid to find out. I needed to talk to Yuri. I needed some fresh air. As the thought of fresh air occurred to me I remembered the beautiful forest out back and I was suddenly desperate to walk.

After breakfast, I helped Esme and Emmett clean the kitchen and then headed toward the large, elegant front entrance of the house. I found a pair of fuzzy mukluk style boots and pulled them onto my feet, hoping they belonged to Alice and not Rosalie. I grabbed Yuri's warm woollen coat and slipped my arms into the sleeves. Just as I opened the door, Edward was at my side looking pissed.

The anger in his eyes startled me, as I had never seen him look at me like that before. Usually his face was so kind and his eyes sparkled mischievously.

"Where do you think you are going little girl?" He asked sternly and I was unable to detect if he was joking. He had better be joking.

"I am going for a walk in the forest. I need some fresh air." I replied with a hint of impatience, wondering what he was getting at.

"By yourself?" He asked raising an eyebrow at me and I nodded firmly. "You are going for a walk in the dark forest, by yourself, without telling anyone where you are going? What if a bear finds you? You look like a tasty snack!" Edward said, anger flaring.

My heart leapt when he referred to me as a tasty snack heat shot through my body and lingered pleasantly in the bottom of my stomach. I was suddenly flustered, uncertain if I was annoyed that my perfect hero was being a controlling jackass or excited by his intense interest. Why should he care? I had always done everything by myself.

Either way I needed fresh air. I rolled my eyes dramatically and turned swiftly out the door. As I approached the forest cover, I could hear Edward behind me and I picked up speed toward the forest, my confusion and frustration growing.

I heard him zipping up his coat behind me and I began to run into the trees. I felt him gain on me quickly and he grabbed me around the waist and spun me around. His face was irate and he glared down at me. I stared up at him insolently for a moment before I burst out laughing, mostly because I was so unsure of what was happening.

His angry expression turned to shock and then irritation and he released me and I allowed myself to fall backward into the snow. He came and stood over me, looking as tall as the trees that surrounded us. He smiled hesitantly as he looked down at me. Finally. His mood swings were giving me whiplash.

"What are you doing?" He questioned and I tugged on his pant leg. He slowly came down to lie in the snow beside me. The lovely cold snow surrounded me and I felt like a child again. The trees looked so like the ones in Russia, or maybe I just wanted them to. I looked to my side to see Edward staring at me intently.

"Are you sure you are alright?" He asked and I could hear the worry in his voice.

"I don't know. I feel so surreal right now. This is all so like a surreal faerie tale. I am just waiting for understanding to set in I guess." I said furrowing my brow and returning my gaze to the tall trees. "I still have no idea what happened or what it means."

"Yeva." He said. "There is so much that I can't to say to you," Something in his tone caused me to look over at him again. His eyes burned. "but I swear to you, I will never let anything hurt you. I will protect you." I had the overwhelming feeling again that he knew something that I did not and I felt unsettled.

But that notion was instantly crushed by my growing feeling of thankfulness. His eyes were so beautiful and I did actually feel safe around him. I had never experienced a connection with a man, (or with anyone other than Yuri really) but I somehow knew that this was not your average connection. This _was_ a faerie tale. The intensity of my growing feelings for Edward rocked my core and I was once again burning.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had pulled myself toward him and softly brushed my lips against his. He gasped under me and froze. I pushed my lips harder onto his. His lips were so smooth and hard and his breath was so sweet. Snow melted down my collar but its chill did not compare to the coldness of his perfect lips. How strange that they should be so cold all the time. All of a sudden his lips began to move against mine and our breathing picked up in unison and his hand traced my jaw and down my neck. I felt moisture between my legs as his large hand came down around my waist and I moaned softly into his mouth. He let out a gasp and a look of desperation filled his eyes and he vigorously rolled his body so that he was positioned over top of me, although we was distributing the weight on his arms so that I could not feel him pushing me into the ground. This time a loader moan escaped my lips and I deepened the kiss and his reaction was parallel. I felt his excitement against my stomach. Rock hard. Cold. It propelled the burning in my stomach and I was beginning to feel desperate for friction. I wanted to feel him. Our frantic kissing was making me feel dizzy and my heart was pounding in my chest. The snow in my jacket was beginning to melt and that combined with the cold of his lips was causing me to shake. Edward paused for a moment, pulling his lips away from me as he looked down into my eyes. My teeth began to chatter and he quickly pulled away and we both gasped for breath until my whole body was vibrating beneath him.

"You are freezing! We need to get you back inside! Look at this, your hair is still damp." He whispered into my ear pulling himself off of me.

He helped me to my feet and took my hand.

"But you are always so cold, Edward." Even now his hand was freezing in mine as he led me toward the house.

"Yes, Yeva. I am always cold." He said staring up at the sky like, little snowflakes landed on his eyelashes. There was some hidden meaning behind his words that I could not identify. I was beginning to resent that fact that I always felt like he was hiding something from me.

Suddenly the image of us running down the hallway of my building pressed uninvited into my mind, and I remembered Edward in front of me in the dark. Edward yelled out for Yuri to stop. He yelled for Yuri to not open the door before he even knew what was in store for us.

"You knew." I whispered, coming to a halt. I felt as though understanding was on the tip of my mind, if I could only reach it.

"Knew what?" Edward turned back toward me with a fearful look in his eyes. That look confirmed my every suspicion.

"You knew about the woman in the bathroom. You knew about our apartment. How did you know Edward?" All the little details that had confounded me were surfacing and I didn't realize until the words came flowing out of my mouth that I was panicking.

"Tell me the truth! You knew before we even got the apartment that something had happened! What happened Edward? What is going on?" My voice was bubbling up inside of me, growing in volume.

Edward looked shocked, and his mouth opened and closed. Opened and closed.

"Who are you?" I asked directly. Edward took a step toward me but seemed to think better of it and remained a few feet before me. "You didn't even know me that day in the coffee shop, but you knew better than my own twin brother that something had shaken me! How did you know?"

"Yeva, I...I didn't know. I don't know anything." But his eyes would not meet mine. His eyes looked anywhere but mine. "I only had a feeling. I had a very strong gut reaction. I feel very…protective of you!" Both of his hands came up into his hair pushing it back and forth in frustration.

But I too had a very strong reaction. I knew that there was something beneath this. I had a feeling that Edward knew something...something big. My anger and frustration boiled inside of me.

"You. Are fucking lying to me!" I said calmly in a deep quiet voice as I pushed passed him toward the house, my fingers going numb.

But when I could no longer see his face as I approached the beautiful angled house something felt wrong. As I thought of Edward's kind eyes and his cold protective arms around me, the peak in my emotions began to ease almost as quickly as they hit me. I carefully undid my anger as Edward was just at my back.

He was protecting me. I did not doubt that. He was my secretive guardian angel. But I had to know what he knew. I had to know if my nightmare was in danger of becoming a reality.

"Yeva." He called after me, gently grabbing my hand. I turned once more to look at him. His eyes were full of worry and sadness and I could not help but stop to listen. But he did not say anything. He just pulled me into his arms again and whispered softly in my ear.

"I promise to tell you everything I can."

**End Notes: Every review brings the next chapter a little faster!**

**Thank you for reading! Let me know how I am doing! Also, how would everyone feel about a Yuri POV?**


	10. Dark Forest Yuri POV

**Chapter Notes:** **This is Dark Forest from Yuri's POV and it is kind of a one-off, experiment type deal. I wanted to give Yuri's POV a shot and an awesome reviewer requested this chapter. I don't really plan on doing Yuri's POV again unless someone requests it. (So if you want it you are going to have to ask for it!) **

**Just letting you know that this chapter is not in lieu of my next chapter, which should be arriving by Friday(ish?). I hope you enjoy Yuri's POV. Pleeeeeeeeeease let me know what you think! **

**I want to thank the reviewers and those who sent me PMs. **

**So here it is folks!…R & R!!!! **

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

It was a long drive.

The hum of sleep had just begun to take me when we pulled into a long gravel drive, twisting and turning through the trees. The night was black and the head-lights danced off the bracken, creating an eerie depth to the forest. The dark cloud of events coupled with the scenery stirred my mind and my stomach. My fingers, still twined with Yeva's small fingers, were becoming sweaty, and the blood-crusted clothes that I wore abraded my skin.

Jasper was driving too fast and just as I thought I would be sick if we went around another bend at 100 miles an hour, the car slowed as we approached a massive house, nestled into the forest. The lights of the front veranda shone welcomingly into the blackness and for the first time in hours, I felt a flicker of relief and exhaled deeply.

I looked down at Yeva who was still sleeping quietly on Edward's shoulder and gave her hand a small squeeze, just hard enough that she would know that I was there, but not enough to wake her. She looked so small and fragile in Edward's arms and I wanted to cry all over again for the horrible things she had been through.

The second that Jasper put the car in park, he shot out of the car and into the house so fast it made me shiver. Everything looked so strange to me this night. Especially the cold, hard look in Edward's eyes. His bitter determination and calculated actions had kind of freaked me out. It was like he was in a calm white rage.

He sat perfectly still the entire drive without uttering a word. Alice silently slipped out of the front seat of the car and followed behind Jasper up the steps and into the house. I sat in silence for a moment, breathing deeply in and out before I opened the door to climb out. My legs betrayed me and I stumbled into the gravel, scraping my hands and knocking my teeth together.

"Fuck." I muttered under my breath.

"Yuri, are you alright?" Edward called after me from inside the car. I didn't answer, I just tried again to stand with little more luck the second time. Suddenly a large figure loomed over me, leaning down and grasping my hand firmly, pulling me to my feet.

"Getting your sea legs there, sailor?" The figure said in a friendly voice, his quick cold hands stabilizing me. As I looked up I breathed out sharply. The figure before me was the largest man I had ever seen, with sparkling eyes and I kind smile.

"Come on inside." He said pulling me along toward the house. I stalled, turning to search for Yeva. Edward had her in his arms and was slamming the car door shut with his foot and he looked over at me with a concerned expression.

The large man led me up the steps onto the front porch of the house. A beautiful woman with long caramel brown hair stood next to a blonde man in the door away. They both stared openly at me with an expression that seemed like wonder (I must be losing it). The woman reached out her arms beckoning us into the house.

"Bring them in. Come in dear." I was dragged through the doorway and the large man released his grip on me. The cold hands of the beautiful woman replaced his hands, and I was led into the warm house, blinking into the bright lights. She helped me down a brightly lit hallway and up the creaking wooden stairs and into a large bedroom on the second floor. The room was a dark navy blue with elegant white crown moulding, and paintings of calming still life on the wall. There was king sized bed with a fluffy white comforter and extra throw blankets. In the corner there was a small stone fireplace lit with a friendly fire, cheering the room. I didn't know what it was about this house or this family, but my weary heart was set at ease. I suddenly wondered where Yeva was and once again I felt the panic build inside of me.

"Yeva...?" I mumbled almost incoherently. My thoughts were muddled and I felt drunk.

"Don't worry Yuri, she is with Alice and Edward down the hall. They are going to clean her up and get her to bed. You both need rest, you poor dears. I can't imagine what you have been through tonight." She brushed my hair out of my eyes gently and I felt warmth and sadness pass over me. I had never experienced such a sensation, although it must be akin to what the care and affection from a mother might feel like.

Someone was hovering in the door way and I looked up and saw the most beautiful blonde woman I had ever seen. She was curvaceous and sexy, with golden eyes like Edward sometimes had. She was holding a mug in her hands and she reached it out to me.

"It is peppermint tea." She said as I took the mug from her with a small smile. The tone of her voice was soft and gentle and did not match the angry look on her face.

"Thank you."

"Alright Yuri, there are towels in the washroom and Edward will bring you something to wear when you get out of the shower. Just throw your dirty clothes outside of the washroom door when you get them off." Esme said gently and nudged me toward the door that led to the en-suite washroom.

After I had closed the door behind me, I quickly undressed in the white slate tile washroom and kicked my blood-covered tuxedo out of the door into the bedroom. I looked at my face in the large gold-framed mirror and froze. My eyes looked hallow and glazed and my face was smeared with dry scratchy blood. The dark liquid had dried and crusted in my hair, which stood on end in every direction.

There was so much blood. Someone had certainly died.

Someone had died and his or her life forced was smeared on my face.

I choked back a sob as I stepped into the scorching hot shower.

I scrubbed my body until my skin was raw, but I did not feel clean. The bar of lavender soap that I was using was dwindling by the second but I still felt covered in blood. My body began to heave with sobs as the steaming hot water fell around me. When my crying eased and my breathing was under my control again, I shut off the water and stepped out into the steaming washroom. I was thankful that the mirror was fogged so I didn't have to stare at my ghastly expression in the mirror.

There was a pile of oversized white fluffy towels on an ornate wooden bench, upholstered with navy blue silk and I grabbed one, drying myself roughly. I walked back into the cool bedroom and stood before the fire for a moment, staring endlessly. The flames danced and waved, and I thought for a moment that they looked like long red hair. What a strange thought.

There was a soft knock on bedroom door, startling me out of my trance.

"Yup." I tried to project but my voice wasn't working properly.

The door opened and Edward walked in. He was still wearing his tuxedo, which was splattered with dried blood and his face was still livid. He tossed me a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, a pair of boxer shorts and a gray hoody.

"Thank you Edward." I said walking back into the washroom and changing quickly. When I returned to the bedroom Edward was sitting on the side of the bed with his head in his hands and he looked up at me.

"Are you doing alright Yuri? Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked softly. His voice sounded remorseful, which really confused me. What did he have to be sorry about?

"Where is Yeva?" I asked. I needed to make sure that she was okay. I didn't want her to wake up from a nightmare in a strange house, alone.

"She is down the hall. My mom and Alice put her to bed and she is still sleeping. Don't worry, she is okay."

"I need to see her." I said walking to the door. Edward sighed following behind me. The hallway was dark and quiet as Edward led me to the room where Yeva was sleeping. Edward paused outside a closed door and stepped back for me to go through.

I opened the door to another beautiful large room that was softly lit by a stain glass lamp next to a large armchair. I could see Yeva's dark form sleeping quietly on a queen-sized bed, tucked snugly in a white comforter. Edward lingered behind me in the doorway for a moment staring at Yeva. His eyes were filled with sadness and he took deep breaths, standing perfectly still. After a moment he looked up at me for an instant before whispering goodnight and shutting the door quietly behind him.

I walked over to the oversized, silk covered armchair and released my weight onto it. I sighed deeply staring up at the ceiling. I was exhausted but I knew that there was no hope for sleep.

I was terrified to close my eyes.

I looked to the small wooden table beside the chair and found a small pile of books. There was a leather bound anthology of Grimm's faerie tales and I picked it up and flipped through it.

These stories had always fascinated and terrified me as a boy. They had induced images of deep dark forests and evil witches. Suppressing a shiver, I skipped over Hansel and Gretel and began reading the Wolf and the Fox. After several pages, I realized that I was not actually reading at all. Only scanning the lines with my eyes without comprehension. I was so distracted by the silence.

It was so quiet!

The hush was deafening and made me feel strange and nostalgic. It reminded me so much of our childhood home in Russia that my heart ached.

I took a deep shaky breath, thinking about the events of the evening. The whole night felt like a nightmare. It felt so familiar that my stomach twisted uncomfortably. Our apartment had been completely doused in blood. Completely.

Why our apartment?

It didn't make sense, although somewhere in the back of my mind it felt so familiar.

I was also confused by Edward's strange behaviour. The strangest part of all was that I still trusted him. I felt safe around him and I felt like Yeva was safe around him. Such feelings shocked me because I didn't trust anyone around Yeva. But Edward looked at Yeva with such tenderness and treated her with such reverence and respect that I couldn't help but trust him.

I had never seen Yeva give a second glance to a man and was surprised by her reaction to Edward. She seemed...happy?

I don't know.

But despite those feelings, there was still something nagging at me. There was strange feeling in my gut that something was off...but I could not place it.

This silence was taking me strange places.

As I turned the next page I heard Yeva's breathing change and I quieted myself, listening hard through the silence. She sniffed quietly in the dark and her breathing became shallow.

"Are you awake?" I whispered.

"Yuri?" Her small voice came from under the blankets. "Where are we?" She asked as she slowly sat up in bed, pushing the covers back. Her eyes found mine from across the room. Her sleeping mind had not yet caught up with the reality of the evening, and I feared her reaction. I exhaled deeply, so worried for my sister. Her eyes and hair were wild as she took in the room.

"We are just out of Montreal. At Edward's family home. Jasper drove us here through the night." I put my head down, pushing the heels of my hands into my eyes to relieve the mounting pressure in my head.

"What happened?" She asked in a distant voice. I was silent for a moment, as I thought long and hard about how to answer her question.

Suddenly I heard her gasp.

She bolted, almost falling out of the bed as her leg tangled in the sheets, and she tripped over a metal bucket, tipping it on its side on the wooden floor. She dropped to her knees and began to vomit it the bucket. I jumped up as quickly as I could, switching on the lights before running to her side.

I swept her thick and heavy mass of hair out of her face and wound it in my hand at the nape of her neck as she was violently ill into the bottom of the bucket.

I felt the tears building again behind my eyes as I gently rubbed her back and hummed the lullaby that our father used to play for us on the piano as children. He told us that our mother had hummed it to us softly as children and after her death he had learned to play it on the piano. It was a heartbreakingly beautiful melody and I knew that Yeva loved it.

As I hummed to Yeva the door creaked open softly behind us. I turned my head to see Edward and the caramel haired woman, who I thought was perhaps Edward's mother, Esme. I continued to hum to Yeva as I looked up into Edward's eyes. His face was completely blank, but a look of shock flashed across his eyes. Yeva seemed to be finished and her whole frame shook as she tried to support her weight.

"Here, let me take her." Edward whispered quietly and I released Yeva's hair as Edward swept her into his arms. Her legs dangled like a cloth doll and I felt my own stomach churning.

I began to feel light headed and I sat back with my head against the window-sill as Esme brushed a damp cloth over Yeva's face. I closed my eyes and tipped my head up to the ceiling, crossing my legs in front of me. My heart was racing and I could taste the bile in my throat and I swallowed heavily. My head was throbbing and the room was spinning like mad.

I felt a cold hand grasp mine firmly dragging me up again. Holy shit Edward was a strong fucker!

When I was on my feet his arm was around my shoulder and he pulled me out into the hallway and back into the dark navy room. The lights were off, but the room glowed from the warm firelight and I shivered harshly as I collapsed into the warm bed on top of the covers.

"Don't worry Yuri. You are both safe." I thought I heard him whisper the split second that sleep enveloped me.

My sleep was black for the most part. I had visions of a dark forest and a strange looking woman with long red hair. Nothing really even happened in my dream to startle me, but I bolted awake in a cold sweat.

It was midmorning.

Since I had fallen asleep on top of the blankets someone had covered me with a knit throw and the fire was still burning. I was suddenly overwhelmingly thankful that Edward, Jasper and Alice had taken us here. I can't imagine what we would have done if we had stayed in New York.

I don't know if I could have taken care of Yeva by myself. I wondered if she had slept last night after she was sick.

I slipped out of bed to go and wash my face again use the washroom.

When I was finished, I left my room and tread softly down the hallway to Yeva's room. I ducked my head in the door, and when my eyes found her still fast asleep, I let out a sigh of relief. I closed the door softly behind me and descended the dark wooden steps and down the hallway.

My waking thoughts began to buzz in my mind and cloud my vision. I really needed to find my phone and call dad, and I tell him where we were. Then I needed to find out what we were going to do about our apartment. I couldn't really see us moving back there.

When I rounded the corner I walked into a beautiful large kitchen. There was a fire roaring in the hearth and the great wooden island was already partially covered with delicious looking breakfast foods. The walls were pale lavender and the soft morning light warmed the room.

I almost jumped when Esme came through the dining room carrying a large glass platter.

"Good morning Yuri! How did you sleep? Are you hungry?" Her voice was warm and kind and I relaxed instantly.

"Starving, as per usual, thank you. I am sorry, you must be Edward's mother?" I asked, uncertain if it were so. "I was kind of out of it last night…but I think I knew who you were. Edward told us much about you." Esme smiled brightly at my words and replied in her soft bell-like voice.

"Yes, I am Esme. We are so happy to have you and Yeva here. We don't get to meet many of Edward's friends." She smiled holding out her hand for me to shake. Her hand was really cold, just like Edward's hand and I wondered if it was a circulation problem. "I am just getting some breakfast ready for you. Would you like some coffee Yuri?" I nodded enthusiastically and she walked over to the counter and poured me a large mug full.

Esme then began to pull copious amounts of fruit out of the fridge and a large pitcher of orange juice. I was beginning to notice that all of the Cullens were strangely graceful, and it was rather disconcerting…yet lovely to watch. Esme spun elegantly around to open the oven and pulled out three trays of fat, fluffy muffins that filled the room with their aroma.

Mmmm, blueberry. My secret favorite.

I felt a hard slap on my back and turned to see the enormous man from last night smiling at me widely. He had deep set dimples and a sparkle in his golden eyes.

"How is it going sailor?" He asked me in a thundering voice, making reference to my inability to walk last night and laughing loudly at his own joke. I couldn't help but laugh along, for his apparent joy was infectious.

"I am Emmett, Edward's big brother. How's it going Yuri? We have all been looking forward to meeting you!" I recalled many of the hilarious stories that Alice and Edward had regaled to Yeva and me, and a smile spread across my face.

"Well, the feeling is mutual. Edward has told us all kinds of stories about the trouble you get into." I smirked at him as another laugh erupted from his chest. Just then the beautiful blonde (bringer of peppermint tea) slipped under one of Emmett's giant arms grinning broadly at me.

"Oh don't let him fool you Yuri. He is just a big teddy bear." Her voice was as clear as a bell as she swept her long corn silk hair off of her shoulder and elbowed Emmett in the ribs.

"Yuri, this is my lovely wife Rosalie." Emmett's voice was filled to the brim with adoration for this perfect creature in front of him. Damn, that's right. Rosalie is married to Emmett. Too bad. That might have been fun.

"Nice to meet you Rosalie." I said shaking her hand firmly. Cold.

That was just fucking weird. Maybe someone should turn up the heat in this place.

Edward walked quickly into the kitchen, kissing Esme on the cheek as he passed and grabbed a mug out of the cupboard. He poured a large cup of coffee out of the ceramic jug on the counter and spun around to face us without spilling a drop of the steaming liquid.

"Good morning Yuri." He said smiling at me as he leaned his back against the counter. "Do you happen to know how Yeva takes her coffee?" He asked politely.

He was much less tense this morning. His eyes seemed to have a bit of their twinkle back, but I still felt a little worried about him. He seemed to carry the whole world on his shoulders and it looked uncomfortable.

"You know, I could give you the wrong answer and really get you in trouble." I teased. "But she takes it black. And it better be rocket fuel or she will lose respect for you. Just a heads up." Edward laughed as he dumped the coffee down the sink and began searching through the cupboards again. He pulled out a box of filters and started the coffee grinder.

"Now, don't be stingy." I laughed again as he scooped the coffee into the filter. Emmett's laughter boomed behind me and he tossed a muffin at me, almost hitting my head before I caught it. Esme had begun laying more and more food out on the table and I suddenly realized how hungry I was and quickly began to fill the plate that Rosalie handed me.

Edward finished making the coffee and I wished him luck as he headed upstairs to my sister.

Esme and I talked quietly as she constantly re-filled my plate and asked me question after question about myself. She truly was lovely. Edward joined us after a while and Emmett and Rosalie and I sat at on the bar stools and chatted for a short time.

Jasper and Alice finally woke up and came down for breakfast...it must have been exhausting to drive through the night like that.

Edward introduced me to his father Carlisle who was a doctor in Montreal, and we talked ardently about music and art. It was amazing, the things that Carlisle knew, and I was deeply engrossed in our conversation when Yeva came into the kitchen. I could always sense when she was around and I paused mid-sentence to turn and look at her.

She looked beyond exhausted. Her eyes seemed so dark and she smiled less than normal.

Our father used to say that Yeva was the Russian twin and I was the American twin, as I always seemed to be laughing while Yeva was always quiet and serious. But I don't really think that he knew either of us very well. It was true that Yeva didn't smile very often, but she didn't need to smile for me to be able to tell when she was amused, or even joyful. Our father was always away, always busy. Grandpa Charlie told us once before he died that my dad was a completely different person before our mother died. Grandpa said that he laughed and was full of happiness and love. But after our mother died, our father seemed to wither and die himself.

Yeva and I knew that he loved us, but I had always felt unsatisfactory to him. However, it was Yeva that received the lions share of his disappointment and anger. He was obsessed with Yeva becoming a world famous ballet dancer and more. He was so set on his vision that he never noticed how talented she actually was, and how esteemed she was at Juilliard by her colleagues and teachers. I could feel my blood beginning to boil as I thought of my father and I shook my head to exit that train of thought.

Edward mentioned later that he had called my father to fill him in on the situation and it reminded me of my pursuit to find my phone. I really needed to call my father.

After breakfast I got my ass whipped by Jasper at some video games. I had never really played video games growing up and I was seriously lacking the skills. I gave up after a while and handed the remote to Rosalie, who seemed a more worthy adversary, and wandered upstairs to look for my phone.

I finally found it in my coat pocket and when I pulled it out I saw that I had missed 17 calls. Most of them were from my father. I dialed his number and he answered on the second ring. He sounded haggard and distant.

"Ivan Meretskov." He spoke sternly.

"Dad? Are you at the airport?"

"No. I am still at the plaza. The police wish to discuss some things with me and I think it is probably better I be with my children. Are you both alright? Are you in Montreal with Edward?" He asked. His voice sounded concerned, which was unusual for my father. He expected Yeva and me to be very stoic and stiff upper lip and tolerated little weakness from us. My heart swelled a little at his rare concern.

"Yes, we are with Edward's family. We should be back in New York soon?"

"Well call me as soon as you get back. I have a meeting with the detective as soon as I get my bearings but I will leave my phone on." He said exhaling deeply.

"Why the hell would they want to speak to you? It is our apartment. It is in our name." I asked confused.

"I don't need to hear language like that Yuri. Practice a little tact."

"Sorry dad. But why do they want to speak to you?" I tried very hard to keep the impatience out of my voice lest he decide to end the conversation.

"Well, I guess we will find out." His voice sounded strange, as though he was keeping something from me.

"I still don't even know what happened. I mean, why did this happen? Why our apartment?" I choked. My father was quiet for a moment before he spoke again.

"I don't know son. But you keep a close eye on Yeva alright. I will be there as soon as I can. We will discuss this later."

"Dad..." I said into dead air. He had already hung up.

I closed my phone and wandered down the hall to find that Grimm collection that I was reading last night. I stopped in the window of the room that Yeva was sleeping in and looked down into the forest.

I saw Edward and Yeva having and intense conversation just outside of the forest wall. There was fire in Yeva's eyes and Edward seemed desperate. Yeva spun away from Edward back toward the house and Edward grabbed her hand. He pulled her into an embrace and held her like that for several minutes, whispering in her ear. I was about to walk away from the window when I noticed movement in the drive. I vehicle was approaching the house, down the gravel drive. As the car approached I realized that it was a police car and I sighed. This was not going to be fun.

END NOTES: So can you guess what lullaby Yuri was humming to Yeva? Please let me know what you think and review! Also let me know if you want to know what I think Yuri and Yeva look like.


	11. The Only Truth

**CHAPTER NOTES: ****I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**

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I heard the vehicle approaching long before I saw it and I sighed with a mixture of relief and irritation.

The interruption came with entirely the best and worst timing, for after all that had transpired in the last 24 hours, I was feeling more than a little beset.

It seemed that as I held Yeva tightly in my arms, we had reached a defining moment - a pinnacle of the last few months and of my life.

We stood perfectly still, and as my cheek rested on the top of her head, I stared down at the tiny crystals of ice clinging to her eyelashes and waited for inspiration to hit.

Yeva was waiting with baited breath, and I was reeling – trying to find my footing.

In a fit of panic, I had promised to tell Yeva everything that I could, and now I could not think of one appropriate explanation. What could I say?

_Well, you see Yeva…I was your mother's boyfriend and I am the reason she was killed. How is it possible? Oh, that is easy. I am a vampire, which makes me immortal. No, your mother was not killed in a car accident; she was brutally murdered by another vampire…consequently the same one that just filled your apartment with blood. Do not worry; I have been hunting her since you were one year old. I will protect you. __Now, let us get back to kissing, shall we?_

Somehow, I did not see any of that going well. Not even Bella would have taken that in stride.

I could hear my family inside, all wondering what explanation I would offer. Rosalie was in a panic and Jasper was trying to control her emotions. Alice was searching blankly for a vision to no avail, for she was continually baffled by Yuri and Yeva's strange power. Carlisle was telling me to go slow and think carefully about what I was going to say, but even he was left without a solution to this impossible situation.

And that is exactly when the car pulled into our long drive toward us.

"It will have to wait." I said sternly as I pulled Yeva away to look at her face. Her eyes momentarily flashed with anger until she too heard the approach of the car. As the car came around the corner, Yeva's heartbeat increased rapidly with what I assumed was nervousness.

A police car.

Not that I hadn't been expecting them to show up sooner or later, as this was the kind of vile crime that attracted immediate police attention. But I was somehow caught off guard. I had been in my own little world, far away from the harsh reality of the day. Yeva's warm kisses had erased my mind and filled my soul with happiness; so much so, that the garish events of last night seemed unreal. I was unfocused and distracted by the lovely creature in my arms. I was reduced to a 17-year-old human boy.

The engine cut and a young man stepped out in a black suit, removing his sunglasses with a self-assured confidence. Yeva clutched my hand to steady herself as Emmett and Carlisle came outside to stand on the porch.

The young detective was quite tall, with white-blonde hair and clear blue eyes. It was obvious that he had missed the opportunity to shave that morning and he had a coffee stain on his tie. His partner slowly got out of the car and stood on the other side, his arms resting on the roof of the vehicle. He was also tall and fair, with thick-framed black glasses and an angry demeanour. Both of their thoughts were of Yeva, for her beauty shocked them both. I pulled her closer instinctually.

The blue-eyed detective walked toward us with his hand extended as his shoes crunched in the snow-dusted gravel.

"Good afternoon, I am detective Daniels and this is my partner Detective Hennig. I am here to find a Yuri and Yeva Meretskov."

I was about to step forward to shake his hand, but Yeva beat me to it. As detective Daniels shook her hand his thoughts lingered a little too long on her beautiful ballerina figure and her startling green eyes. He had never seen a more beautiful woman, and he imagined himself rescuing her from this situation and kissing her graceful neck.

A growl rumbled deep in my chest and his blue eyes flashed toward me with fear. He felt very uncomfortable standing so close to me and could not fathom why. After all, he had years of experience in hand to hand combat and karate, so why would his instincts be telling him to run?

He suddenly wondered about my involvement in this whole situation. His records had picked up very little on me, and he only knew the basic details about my life. His thoughts did not remain with me for long as his gaze fell upon Yeva again, and he was drawn by the swell of her chest and her full lips.

"I am Yeva Meretskov." Yeva said sharply, and her dark clear voice pulled me back from visions of throttling the detective.

"And I am Edward Cullen." I manoeuvred in front of Yeva to shake the detectives hand and to shelter Yeva from his increasingly vulgar thoughts. "Please, won't you come in?" I asked gesturing toward the house with feigned hospitality.

I sensed that Yuri was behind us and I turned to see him on the top step, arms crossed against his chest looking intimidating. He was good at that.

His thick black hair fell into his eyes to veil his expression. As we entered the house, Esme offered the detectives tea and quickly set off to the kitchen to put the pot on.

We set up camp in the dining room for what I imagined would be a time consuming discussion. Detective Daniels rested his cheap black brief case on the walnut tabletop and began to sort through various paper work, all the while conscious of Yeva's every position. His partner eyed me suspiciously with extreme discomfort. His instincts were telling him to keep a distance from me and I smiled secretly at his uneasiness.

Esme returned to the dining room with a tray of bone china teacups and a pot of earl gray tea. She placed a sugar dish and a miniature pitcher of cream on the table in front of the detectives, reminding me mentally to comfort Yeva as she seemed distraught. Yuri poured himself a cup of tea and stared hazily at the table.

"So, Miss Meretskov, let me premise this discussion by stating that no one is accusing you or your brother of anything here. We have witnesses declaring your whereabouts at the approximate time of the crime, but we do need a detailed recount of the events leading up to yesterday. As in depth as you can make it please." He eyed me warily as he brought out his tiny recording device, setting it in the middle of the table before pouring himself a cup of tea. I noticed Yeva sat motionless so I poured her a cup of tea and put my hand on hers. She did not seem to notice.

Yeva and Yuri took turns describing the past week, constantly interrupted by detective Daniels. I understood his desire to solve this case, but I could not help but feel irritated by how far from the truth he was. I found it necessary to remind myself that most humans would not jump to the conclusion that the super natural being was responsible for a murder in New York.

When the detective had finished questioning Yuri, he sorted through his paper work for a moment, his thoughts swirling in his head. He put his head down in his hands for a moment to focus.

As he mentally ripped into the case, the detective's thoughts shifted. The images that crossed his mind deeply concerned me and I grasped the table in order to brace myself against the onslaught of images. His thoughts began to hint on ideas that would be detrimental to all.

He was young and obviously had some success in his new career. He was cocky and abrasive, hiding behind his cold exterior. But under it all, he was horrified by this crime and it had affected him acutely. He had seen a lot during his short time as a detective, but nothing like this. The image of the blood dripping from the ceiling and flooding the bedrooms had imprinted onto his autonomic nervous system. It had followed him home and into his dreams. He was waiting to hear more news about the two dancers from the Russian ballet ensemble that had gone missing hours before the performance yesterday. It was suspected that they were the victims.

He took a sip of tea and frowned down at the tabletop. I felt Jasper's calming influence suppressing the panic building inside of me as I watched the images that the detective flipped through in his mind. At first, I had thought he was thinking about Yuri and Yeva's apartment, but then I noticed the subtle differences in color and lighting. The differences in architecture. The differences in quality and grain of his memory. A different memory entirely.

They were images of police photos that I recognized.

I felt my body go numb.

Bella.

Bella's kitchen covered in blood, dripping from the ceiling and flooding the bedrooms. My stomach turned as he compared the two morbid scenes in his mind's eye, turning them over and over. I shuddered at the potential for chaos.

Victoria had known what she was doing. Not only was she threatening the physical safety of the twins, she was also threatening their mental health. If the twins ever saw those photos, it would haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Yuri and Yeva's apartment full of blood had re-opened a cold case and now the long obscured details of Bella's death were back on the table.

I was shocked to hear that the police were planning to bring Ivan Meretskov into custody as soon as the blood work came back and I quickly began thinking of ways to stop that from happening.

Of course Ivan would be implicated but detective Daniels thought that it didn't make sense. Why would Ivan brutally murder his own wife and leave his babies in the carnage, then years later kill two of his colleagues in the same manner?

But Ivan was the only common link. Something very strange was going on here and it made the detectives skin crawl. Nothing was adding up. If Ivan was responsible, he would put that fucker away!

He intermittently glanced at Yeva, gauging her reaction to this horror. Every time he looked up at her, he broke out into a sweat and a shiver ran down his spine. He was struck by her beauty and could not take his eyes off her as he imagined over and over what it would be like to kiss her perfect pink lips and tangle his hands in her thick black hair. He considered the likely-hood of her agreeing to go out to dinner with him. Was she involved with me?

I was caught off guard by the rage and jealousy burning inside of me and all I wanted was to grab him by the scruff of the neck and toss him out the door. My fingers crept to the back of Yeva's neck possessively and she exhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she leaned into my touch.

I stroked her neck and shoulder lovingly, pretending that it was an absent motion and that my focus was elsewhere. But suddenly I could focus on nothing but her soft creamy skin and the silky quality of her hair. Detective Daniels began imagining taking me into custody and interrogating me violently. I smirked in concealed joy of his understanding.

Yeva was mine.

Mine.

I was going to be the one to protect her and love her. I wanted to be the one to make her smile.

After more banal and obvious questioning on detective Daniels part, he stood with finality.

"Well, Mr. And Miss Meretskov, I will be in touch. If there is more that I need to discuss with you, I will give you a call. Right now, there is nothing I can do but wait for blood work to come back. Do you both have somewhere to stay? I don't think I need to tell you that you cannot go back to your apartment."

"Yes, they have somewhere to stay." I said standing up as well. "They can stay with us for as long as they need." I saw Yuri's eyes flash to mine.

"Well, that's great." Detective Daniels half muttered to himself as he sorted his papers back into his brief case and nodded curtly as he made his way toward the door. I quickly stepped in front of him and led him to the door. I opened the door grandly and stepped aside so that he could exit.

"Thank you again detective. We will call you if we think of anything that you might need to know." I smiled brightly at him as he imagined slamming my face into the wall. He walked out the door and I closed it firmly behind him.

_What was that all about?_ Jasper walked past me and into the living room. I merely shook my head and breathed out roughly.

I walked back into the dining room and sat down next to Yeva. Her head lay on the table tucked into her arms and she was still. Yuri had his chair pushed back, his legs stretched out as he gazed at the ceiling. He looked a lot more pale than usual and his eyes had dark circles under them. His usually bright green eyes looked dark. His black hair stood at all ends from the abuse of his frustrated fingers.

"Well." Yuri said, still looking upward. "We should be getting back to New York. There is a lot of shit that we need to get cleared up and our father is waiting for us."

"You can't go home." I replied, incredulous. "It isn't safe! Plus it is getting late and you have had another long day."

"Obviously we are not going back to that flat. Ever." Yuri scoffed. "We will stay at the Plaza with our dad. We have to get back to school tomorrow anyway. I am not going to let you miss anymore school Edward, especially not on our account." He looked like he felt guilty and I wished he knew how little I actually cared about school right now.

"Missing a day or two of school never hurt anyone." I said trying to catch his eye. "You guys have been through a lot and I just think you should be somewhere safe for a while. Relax. Sleep. Just for one more day at least." Yuri's eyes filled with concern as he looked at Yeva who sat up and rested her chin in her hands, her eyes still closed.

"Well..." he hesitated, "one more day out here might be a good idea." He agreed, pushing his long fingers through his hair again and stretching backward in his chair. "Ooooh fuck. A smart person would get so very drunk right now." I grimaced at his word choice and Yeva's eyes met mine.

"Yuri, quit fucking swearing. It is making Edward uncomfortable!" Yeva said in a mock lecturing tone, shooting me a quick grin. She was teasing me? Well two could play at that game. I smiled back, wrapping my arms around her waist and began tickling her sides. She laughed loudly and squirmed in my arms trying to get away but I would not release her.

"Alright you two crazy kids. Cut it out! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves!" Yuri laughed standing and stretching his arms into the air. I snickered to myself as I loosened my grip on Yeva and stilled my fingers.

"Yeah Edward! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Yeva choked through her giggles. The sound of her laughter filled me with joy and I filed away the fact that it was literally at my fingertips.

"Well, if we aren't going anywhere today I think I am going to go and read. Carlisle was going to show me his library and I can hear that comfy bed calling my name." Yuri looked wistfully off into the distance as though he really could hear the bed calling to him. He spun smoothly and walked out of the dining room to find Carlisle. I turned back to Yeva to see that her eyes were already on me.

"Well, miss Meretskov. What would you like to do on this fine evening? Are you hungry?"

"No, not really. Maybe we should just relax. Do you want to watch a movie or something? It has been forever since I watched a movie, and I would love to just shut my brain off." She sounded tired.

"Then that is what we shall do. Actually, we have a large screen TV in the den. You could pick out a movie and I could make us some popcorn? If you like." I said helping her to her feet and leading her toward the den.

"Oooh popcorn. You have said the magic word!" She wrapped her arms around my waist, resting her head between my shoulder blades and allowed me to pull her along behind me. It felt so good to be in her arms.

I left her in the den with the wall of movies while I searched the kitchen for popcorn. I was thankful that Esme had stocked the kitchen so thoroughly. I found a bag of microwave popcorn with simple instructions on the back. I had never made popcorn before in my life. I managed to make it with little difficulty and took it back into the den. Yeva was already putting the movie into the DVD player and she plopped down onto the overstuffed leather couch with a sigh.

"I have chosen the movie and there is nothing you can do about it!" Yeva said with determination, crossing her arms. "I have always wanted to watch it and now is my chance. I am not going to let it go!"

"OK, now I am worried. What are we watching?" I teased.

"Paranormal Interface." I laughed and sat down next to her on the couch.

"So what stopped you from watching it sooner?" I asked, curious.

"Yuri won't let me. He thinks I am a chicken and can't handle it, but honestly I think he is the one with the problem!" She took a giant hand-full of popcorn and stuffed in her mouth. She then took a fistful of popcorn with her other hand, preparing in advance.

"Um, Yeva…there is more popcorn where that came from. You can slow down." I laughed again.

"Survival of the fittest." She said with her mouth full. "I grew up with Yuri. If I didn't eat fast I missed out." I laughed and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and pulled it across our knees.

The movie was pretty lame and was of subpar quality. It was mostly just amateur camera work and amateur actors. Yeva hid her face for most of it and I teased her relentlessly until the movie was over. In order to counter-act the effects of the scary movie, we opted to watch a light and fluffy romantic comedy. A movie the Yeva referred to as brain candy.

The second movie was quiet dull, but definitely served its purpose as Yeva calmed down and relaxed back into the couch. I was not watching the movie anyway – every aspect of me was aware of her proximity. I counted her eyes lashes and breathed in her aura. Her fingers found mine under the blanket. The quiet intimacy of watching a movie together while cuddling on the couch set me at ease in a way that I have never experienced.

Such simple bliss. As I pulled Yeva further into my embrace and she rested her head against my chest, my thoughts were pushed by something dark in the back of my mind.

The thought that I had been ignoring with all my strength. The reminder of my true nature and the monster that I was.

I was allowing all of this to happen. I was allowing Yuri and Yeva to trust me. Yes, I was their protector but I was also the reason that they needed protection.

I could not feign ignorance any longer for I knew that Yeva was falling in love with me, as I was with her. I could not bury my head in the sand any longer, and I could not stall this from moving forward. I had managed to elude her questions today, but they were not going to disappear that easily. I owed her an explanation.

She had put her faith in me and I owed it to her to be completely honest. But no matter what I said or did, Yeva was going to be hurt. The thought of hurting her ripped at my chest and I had to stifle a sob. I no longer had the option of leaving, or watching from a distance. It would be physically impossible for me to leave Yeva, and I had learned from experience that my good intentions rarely had desired results.

I was completely torn and had no notion of what to do, although I imagined the truth would have to fall into this mess somewhere. Then it would be her choice, whether she would be with me or not. And if not, I would stand aside…but I would never let her go. I would make sure that she was happy, safe, healthy. I would not let anything happen to her or Yuri. Ever.

When the movie was over Yeva stood up and stretched.

"I think I need to go to sleep. My thoughts aren't making sense anymore and I feel as though my body is so…" She yawned as if to finish her sentence without words. She leaned down and kissed me on the cheek before leaving the den to go upstairs to her room.

I busied myself on the internet for a few hours, checking my finances and investments as per Alice's advice. The house grew quiet and dark.

I heard Yeva brushing her teeth and settling into bed, flipping the pages of a book softly. I sighed as I ascended the stairs.

I checked on Yuri, who was fast asleep on top of the covers with _In Temptations of the Bloody Epoch_ by Nahum Korzhavin's open on his chest.

My brothers and sisters were all out hunting and Carlisle had gone to the hospital. Only Esme remained in her study, painting quietly and humming. I covered Yuri with a throw blanket that had been tossed on the floor and quietly placed another log on the fire before I shut off his bedside lamp.

This old house could get very cold at night, and although my family and I might not notice, Yuri and Yeva certainly would.

I closed Yuri's door and crept down the hallway to Yeva. She had curled up under the covers with a book of Grimm's Faerie Tales next to her cheek. I took the leather bound book and placed it on the bedside table. I shut off the reading lamp and walked to the window.

The moon shone brightly this evening, reflecting off the fallen snow and into the bedroom. The forest stood still and tall, hiding our house from the world. I looked back to Yeva as she breathed quietly in her sleep. The rhythm of her heart calmed my nerves. I stared at her as I had many other nights and watched her sleeping face, her long black hair tangled furiously around her, her hands clasped together.

She rarely spoke in her sleep the way that her mother had, but it filled me with comfort to watch her so at peace. I stood there for hours.

At around three in the morning, her breathing changed and she began to toss and turn, kicking at her sheets. With a sudden gasp, she started awake, her heart racing. Her eyes landed on me standing by the window and I tiptoed toward her bed.

"Edward?" She whispered into the darkness.

"Shhhh, yes it's me." I said in a low voice, sitting down on the bed next to her and brushing the hair out of her face. "Did I wake you?"

"No. I was dreaming. What time is it?" She asked collapsing back onto the pillow breathing deeply, her eyes still on me.

"It is early. Go back to sleep."

"What are you doing in here?" She asked.

"I was just checking on you. I couldn't sleep." She continued to lay there quietly looking up into my face. Her small fingers reached out to my own and grasped them gently, pulling me toward her.

"Lay with me." She whispered, pushing herself over a few inches so that there was room for me next to her. I paused for a moment, unsure if I should proceed but the magnetic force that pulled me toward Yeva was stronger than my own free will. In slow motion, I eased myself into the soft bed beside her, breathing in her painfully lovely aroma and closing my eyes. Although I could not really feel physical exhaustion, the weight of the last few months pushed my back down into the sheets as Yeva's warm embrace enveloped me. It was so quiet.

"Are you alright?" She asked, her hot breath sending a shiver down my spine.

"Me? You should not be worrying about me right now. Besides, I am fine. Just a little tired." I smiled into the darkness.

I was not sure if she could see my face but her soft fingertips brushed my cheek and she turned on her side. Her arm wrapped around my stomach and she pulled herself closer to me. My hand found hers and I squeezed it tightly.

The affection and close comfort of her next to me in bed filled me to the brim. I was suddenly overwhelmed by her tenderness and I kissed her softly on her forehead. Her hair smelled of sea kelp and jasmine and I breathed her in deeply.

My thoughts began to slow and I realized that in all my long years I had never experienced a moment of such stillness. Not of body, but of mind.

From the moment that Carlisle had brought me into this life, my time had been crashing chaos and a wild frenzy of anger, betrayal, self deprecation and a general sense of not belonging.

Even when I met Bella, I was besieged with guilt and self-loathing. I had loved Bella with every fibre of my being. I had cherished our every moment, and yet it had all seemed wrong. Even from the beginning. Some dark thought had pulled at me. I never had a choice but to leave her. I never had a choice, and although it had nearly killed me, I remained resolute to this day.

She had found her mate. She had loved Ivan. Perhaps not as intensely as she had loved me, but more deeply. She had been sure of herself at last. She had been sure of his mutual feelings.

So no, time had not slowed for me when I met Bella. Perchance the opposite. I had reeled and shaken, questioning my soul, questioning love and the capacity of human emotion. Questioning fate. This life.

But there I was in Yeva's arms surrounded by stillness and silence.

Yes silence. The same silence that Bella had offered, but this time it was different. I was waiting for the guilt to hit. Waiting for the desperation and the anger.

But none came.

Instead the world had come to a halt and I was in the arms of beautiful girl. She was my perfect match. She was my calm and my hope. Such a strange girl. An odd juxtaposition of fragility and power. Calm and energy. Mystery and epiphany.

She and her brother had won the genetic lottery. They were unsettlingly beautiful, deeply intelligent, unnaturally graceful, and their talents were multifaceted. My family had been in awe of them, thinking of their likeness to their mother and yet how surprisingly different they were. Even Rosalie could not hide her admiration. Emmett's thoughts had worried me the most. He had thought how scary they would be as vampires. But he was right. They would be terrifying...not that I would ever allow such a thing to transpire.

Yeva's breathing was becoming soft and regular again and I knew she had fallen back into a deep sleep. I pulled her closer, kissing her head again and filling my lungs with her scent. My throat burned painfully, but I began to love that pain. I associated it with Yeva's nearness. Deep in her sleep, faraway, she whispered my name. And I knew I was alive. She shivered a little and I quietly pulled the blanket up and over us.

Our bodied came closer. Her heat burned through my clothes and lit me on fire. I felt a strange tingling in my lower stomach.

I looked down at her sleeping face. So pale. Her thick black lashes brushed her cheeks and her pink lips parted slightly. The top lip was a little larger than the bottom lip, adding to their allure.

The memory of our kiss in the forest resurfaced like a lost dream and I revelled in the remembered sensation. The moment that her lips had touched mine, electricity had raced through my body, and waves crashed in my ears.

For the first time in my existence as a vampire, I felt that my physical self was ahead of my ever-rapid thoughts. I was not in control of my actions. My insatiable need for Yeva had become more and more desperate with ever touch. Without realizing how I got there, I had been on top of her, pushing myself into her. My every nerve ending had tingled in anticipation. The strangest part of all was that it had not felt wrong. It had not felt evil or inappropriate. It had felt right and good.

As Yeva slept in my arms, the need to feel her lips on mine again consumed me. I leaned down and gently pushed my hard mouth onto her soft sleeping lips, tasting her dreams.

And suddenly hers were moving against mine. Her eyes were still closed but her breathing had changed and I knew that I had awakened her. I pulled away slightly but she would not let me get far. Her hand came to the back of my neck to hold me in place and I allowed her. As our kissing became more frantic she pulled away gasping for breath.

"Please. Edward. Can I keep you?" She breathed against my lips.

"Forever and always." I responded without a thought.

As I said the words and our mouths were pressed together, I knew it was true. I would never leave her side. I needed her more than she could ever need me.

I was human again.

I was alive and free.

I hooked my fingers under her knee and she struggle for breath as I swung her leg over my torso, positioning her over top of me. Her hair spilled down around her shoulders and into my face as she crushed her breasts against my chest.

I wanted to feel the friction.

My fingers slipped under her shirt and stroked the soft skin of her lower back as our kiss deepened. My fingers ran all the way up her back, gently rubbing her soft skin.

I felt my hardness against her, but could not bring myself to pull away and strangely, I was not ashamed. She moaned softly and the sound sent shock waves to my core. My hand slid down her back and over her perfect ass.

She squirmed against me as the palm of my hand enveloped her and my long fingers slid down almost between her legs. I could feel her heat and I shivered with pleasure. Her intoxicating scent filled the air, laced with an unfamiliar fragrance. It was so subtle and yet so lovely that it made me dizzy. It took me a few moments to realize that it was her arousal and as it hit me, an unadulterated growl ripped through my chest.

She gasped and her eyes shot open in surprise. The strange look in her eyes jerked me back to reality and I pulled away.

"Are you alright?" She asked with concern, touching my cheek softly. I searched for fear in her eyes, or any sign that she wanted to run away screaming, but found none. She in turn appeared to be searching my eyes, looking for…I don't know. We lay there in silence for a while as her heart rate calmed and our breathing returned to normal.

"Edward, if you need...we can take this slow. I don't want to push you." She whispered.

Her eyes were bright and wild and I wanted to kiss them closed with love. "Whatever is bothering you…it will be all right. Everything will be alright." She whispered as her lips touched mine again but this time without desperation. Her kiss was full of love.

Trust.

Trust that I had not earned.

"I love you." I whispered in response. It was the only truth I knew how to tell her.

"Ya tebya lyublyu" She whispered back in Russian, laying her head back onto my chest and sighing. She did not move from on top of me and soon fell asleep, with her legs falling on either side of my hips and her hair tickling my nose.

I held her tightly to my chest, never wanting to let her go.

She slept soundly through the night.

* * *

**END NOTES: So, um…yeah. *blushes* I hope you liked that. Please let me know how it went. And here is the kicker…if you review this chapter I will send you a critical paragraph from an up and coming chapter! So please review!!!!**


	12. Piano Lesson

**CHAPTER NOTES:** I guess this is a little late…but the chapter turned into a monster so I was forced to cut it in two. Therefore there should be an update later this week.

I would just like to say that I was blown away by the reviews and PMs. Thank you all so much!

So here it is. Right here below the line. Just scroll down a little, I guess. Should be there.

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Twilight belongs to SM. Obviously.**

I lay contented.

The hard dirt beneath me seemed to rise and fall with a soft rhythm, as if it breathed life.

I unconsciously attempted to synchronize my own breath with the rise and fall of the earth as the sun warmed my exposed skin.

I rubbed my fingers into the deep, reddish – brown earth, tracing swirling patterns with my nails, humming a quiet melody from my childhood.

I let my mind wander for but a moment and the universe shifted.

Time picked up speed, propelling the moments with a centripetal force. The hours circling my mind.

I was not sure if time was trying to catch up to my whirlwind of a life, or if some cosmic glitch had interfered, but I felt the earth begin to spin rapidly.

The sky darkened.

I did not have to raise my eyes to see that stormy black clouds had obscured the sun.

The clouds moved so swiftly that the chatter of the birds in the trees dulled to an imperceptible hum…a deep vibration that resonated through my bones.

I pushed my eyes shut as huge drops of rain began to fall, splashing in the dirt around me and splattering my eyelashes. I thought it might be time to get up and head inside the house, but as I tried to push myself up from the dirt, the familiar feeling a paralysis set in.

I was frozen. Pushed down. So heavy.

Time began to race, as I lay immobile on the ground.

Years passed and yet I was unchanged…immortal and unmovable like a geographic formation.

I endured the heat of the summer.

The chill of the fall.

The dark blue winter months as I lay under the snow.

No one could find me.

Time lost its meaning and I realized that time had never in fact been altered…it had never accelerated. It was an illusion. It was my own perception of time that had been altered.

After what seemed like many years (for I had lost count), I felt a prickling in my belly - a light tickle of something pushing against my skin. I thought it an unusual sensation, but not entirely unpleasant.

After a while the light tickle became a dull ache.

Then a searing pain.

I lay helpless as something ripped through my stomach and up through my body.

A tree! A tree was growing right through me!

I struggled to stop it with the sheer power of my will, but the will of the tree reigned supreme.

I eventually submitted to the will of the tree and began to relax against the pain in my centre.

The tree grew tall and beautiful, and in time I was thankful for its presence. It was a part of me now. I could feel its life force…its power in me.

As winter fell upon me again and I was blanketed in a gentle layer of snow, I knew that the tree was protecting me.

I was calm. And tired.

After many years, I finally fell into a chilly and peaceful sleep, hidden beneath my frozen blanket and lulled by the gentle breathing of the earth.

But it was not really the earth breathing beneath me.

And the now dull ache in my stomach was not a tree.

My stomach growled noisily and Edward snickered underneath me. My thoughts became fuzzy and my fingers tingled.

I was in bed.

It was a dream. I was young and time was normal…sort of. And I was hungry.

I opened my eyes to the soft grey light of morning. Edward's arms wrapped around me protectively.

I must not have moved during the night for I still lay on top of him, straddling his hips and my cheek on his hard chest.

I felt the heat rush to my face as I realized our position, and Edward snickered again beneath me. We had slept like that the whole night.

Huh. I usually tossed and turned - especially when I dreamed so vividly.

Finding myself in control of my body again, I wiggled my fingers experimentally.

I could have stayed that way forever. In his arms. But my body was protesting for me to move, and I was certain he must be equally uncomfortable.

"You were dreaming," he whispered in my ear. "What were you dreaming about?" Already the dream was slipping away from me and the details became vague in my mind, but I finally found my voice.

"I was immortal and paralyzed. A tree grew through my stomach. Right through me…but I couldn't move," I mumbled into his chest, moving my fingers up to scratch my nose. "How long have you been awake?" My voice was still heavy with dreams as I finally rolled off Edward and on to the comparatively soft mattress. I stretched my legs out and arched my back. I was stiff from sleeping against his hard body.

"Quite a while," Edward whispered, kissing my ear as his arm stretched across my stomach, his fingers slipping under the fabric of my t-shirt and caressing the skin of my abdomen. I shivered in delight. "What a bizarre dream," he murmured almost to himself. His voice sounded strange and I wondered why.

I blinked a few times into the grey light of the room until my gaze fell upon Edward's divine face. His ivory skin. His chiseled jaw. I reached my fingers across his cheeks and brushed a lock of thick bronze hair away from his long eyes lashes. I felt a slight jolt in my stomach as our eyes met and our exchange from the night before echoed in my ears. He loved me. And I loved him. We were in love. I could see the love deep in his piercing golden eyes and I was suddenly warm, despite the nippy morning air.

My stomach chose that moment to raise protest, growling noisily, and I sighed in annoyance. Edward's soft laughter brushed across my cheek.

"Breakfast time for my little Russian princess." Oh, no he didn't. My cheeks burned at his teasing and I felt slightly irritated.

"Edward, if you call me that again, things are not going to go so well for you," I said pushing myself into sitting position, huffing in annoyance. My brother used to call me that when I was not getting my way as a child and the association stuck. But somehow when Edward teased me that way…it made me feel flustered in an entirely different way.

"The little Russian princess protested," Edward narrated, his eyes shining in delight. What a brat!

"Oh, Edward is soooo cute and sooo funny," I said rolling my eyes. I pretended to ignore him for a moment, feigning indifference…planning my attack. I thought it best I teach him from the start that he could not get away with such teasing!

After a few moments of fumbling with my bracelet, I swung my leg across his hips, lifted up his shirt, lowered my lips to his stomach and blew a raspberry on his cold smooth skin.

A strange, stifled laugh escaped his lips and in an instant his long fingers wrapped around my wrists and he was on top of me. His speed and agility startled me and I giggled in surprise.

"You really shouldn't have done that. You are a very badly behaved little Russian princess," Edward laughed as he began to tickle me mercilessly. I screamed in delicious agony as his talented fingers made me laugh until tears streamed down my cheeks and into my ears.

"Help!!! Please!!!! Anyone!!!" I squirmed beneath him, trying to escape, but to no avail. "Alright, alright! I surrender! You may call me whatever you like, but cease this torment." At my words Edward's fingers released me and he sat up.

"That's what I thought," he said, obviously self-satisfied. I too sat up and made a show of brushing myself off, wiping the tears from my eyes. I was seriously annoyed that he had won the round…but I had a few more tricks up my sleeve to employ in future situations.

"Jerk face." I muttered under my breath and I looked suspiciously over at him to be certain he wouldn't attack again. His eyes went wide with shock and he leaned forward, his fingers raised maliciously as he moved slowly toward me.

"Pardon me?" His voice was edged with warning.

"Sorry," I yelped, jumping off the bed and backing away from him toward the washroom door. "Whatever happened to chivalry?" I said in my most regal tone, exaggerating my native accent.

I heard Edward laughing as I slammed the door to the washroom behind me.

I went straight for the large white porcelain sink, sliding my fingers against its elegant white apron before leaning forward to turn on the tap. The frigid water tumbled into my palms and I slashed it over my face. I paused to stare at myself in the large mirror, tiny beads of water dripping down my cheeks and on to my chest. My thick black hair flared wildly around me in a dense mess of tangles. The pale ivory of my skin was wrinkled from Edward's t-shirt and my pajamas were twisted awkwardly.

This was it. Morning me. I was used to seeing this reflection in the morning…but this time something had changed. All the usual images of myself were in the mirror, but today they had a new effect on me. There was something in my eyes that fascinated me. Something strange and different. They seemed to sparkle in my newfound joy.

I was in love. Crazy, no?

I had never imagined myself in this sort of a situation. I had always thought that love was the stuff of faerie tales. Well, truth is almost always stranger than fiction and this surreal faerie tale was about as strange as it could get. From the second that I had met Edward, nothing seemed normal. I still had so many questions, but I felt like I needed to give him time to explain things to me. I knew he wanted to tell me…I just needed to wait it out. And I would. Because I trusted him.

I brushed my teeth thoroughly and pulled Edward's sweater from the day before over my pajama t-shirt. I would get dressed later. I left the bedroom to see Edward exactly where I left him. He rose quickly from the bed and stalked quickly toward me. Without ceremony he swooped me over his shoulder. I cried out in surprise as he carried me out the door and into the hallway. I was suddenly terrified that he was going to carry me all the way to the kitchen like this and embarrass me in front of his family.

"Edward! Put me down! Now!" I whispered loudly, laughing. He finally set me on my feet in the hallway, smiling down at me.

"You are just so adorable when you are flustered. I can't help myself," he said kissing the top of my head. I punched his arm playfully as we made our way down the rest of the stairs.

In the kitchen, the majority of the family was seated around the island. Carlisle was reading a French newspaper and Esme had a large design portfolio spread in front of her on the aged wooden island, and was meticulously sketching what appeared to be some residential blue prints. I had known she was talented…but she wasn't even using a ruler!

"Wow…" I muttered under my breath. I was impressed by the elaborate detail that she had incorporated into her vision.

She must have sensed me staring because she looked up and smiled at me warmly. I once again had a shiver of affection, mixed with the sadness of a life that I had never known. And the mother I had only known for a moment.

Rosalie and Emmett were whispering quietly to each other and Alice was on her knees by the entrance to the dining room, sorting through some suitcases that had been stacked there for our departure.

"Good morning you two," Alice said winking at Edward and returning to her luggage. "Sleep well?" I think I heard her giggle.

"Good morning family," Edward said, ignoring Alice as he walked toward the counter and poured us each a cup of coffee. He handed me my steaming mug of heaven and I breathed in the scent of the dark roast before taking a sip.

Glorious.

I hummed quietly to myself as I enjoyed my coffee, taking a seat on one of the high chairs surrounding the island. I looked over at Edward who was selecting an array of fruits for me and placing a piece of whole-wheat toast on a plate before setting on the counter-top before me. How did he know that this was my breakfast of choice?

"Thank you Edward," I said smiling at him as he sat across from me with his own steaming cup of coffee.

Carlisle slid a section of his Montreal Gazette over to me and I smiled shyly at him in thanks. I opened it up and my eyes skimmed across the French, barely registering the article about some new Indy band that was causing a stir in the Canadian music scene. I was too hungry and was enjoying my breakfast too thoroughly.

I had just taken my last sip of coffee when Yuri came into the room. He pushed me over slightly and shared my stool top with me, even though there was an empty chair right beside me. I could tell that he had not slept well by the way he held his head and I wondered if he was doing all right. We had not really had the chance to talk since we came here and there was so much I needed to ask him. So much to tell him.

"You alright, brother?" I asked quietly in Russian so not to catch the attention of everyone in the room, nudging him gently with my elbow.

"Yup. Just had some strange dreams last night and I am having trouble snapping out if it. I think I just need some coffee." He said in a gruff voice.

"What did you dream?"

"I can't really tell. I think that I was lying in the dirt and then I couldn't move…and, a…a tree started to grow right through my stomach. I couldn't wake up. It was a fucking awful dream. And now I feel like shit," he said rubbing the heels of his hands into his eyes.

I looked up at Edward, who was leaning forward and had a shocked look on his face. I on the other hand, was not too surprised. Yuri and I often had the same dream on the same night. Most likely because our thought patterns tended to move in the same direction and we had shared a lot of experiences. Although, when I thought about it, the dream that we shared last night was a lot more random and specific than usual. And creepier. I shivered at the memory of the dream and Yuri looked at me in confusion. After a moment of studying my face he spoke.

"You had the same dream?" he asked uneasily.

I nodded and shoved my mouth full of toast, looking away. He shrugged and slid off the stool and headed toward the coffee pot, slapping Edward on the back as he passed.

We ate our breakfast and talked with Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett for quite a while. They were all so interesting and had so many unique experiences. Carlisle knew so much about music and art and Yuri and I picked his brain relentlessly, asking question after question about everywhere he had been and the things that he had learned. He just seemed so young to have had all of these experiences!

He in turn asked us questions. He said that he had heard so much about me from Edward and that he knew me to be a very talented dancer. I blushed more than I had ever blushed in my entire life at his kind words. I then blushed some more when Emmett insinuated that I would be joining the family at some point. My face burned and I looked anywhere but at Edward. Although I was curious about his reaction and I wondered if he shared my surprise, I could not force myself to look at him.

"_So much like her mother_," I heard Carlisle utter quietly. Huh?

"Who is so much like her mother?" Yuri and I asked simultaneously, speaking in unison. The kitchen was completely silent.

"I'm sorry?" Carlisle asked with a confused expression. Rosalie and Emmett looked at us like we were crazy. Edward looked horrified. What had just happened?

"Um…sorry I thought you said 'So much like her mother'…" I said looking at Yuri in confusion.

"Yeah, me too," Yuri laughed. "I guess we are hearing things."

"He didn't say anything out loud," Edward said, looking very nervous, his eyes darting back and forth between Yuri and I and his father.

Carlisle and Edward seemed to share a moment before Edward stood up and began to clear the dishes. I immediately slipped off the stool and followed after to help him, trying to shake off the strange feeling that I had.

What had just happened? Edward was silent beside me as I rinsed out my coffee mug before trying to find a place for it in the dishwasher. Edward dumped his entire cup off coffee down the sink and stuck it neatly next to mine in the dishwasher. Everyone had left the kitchen by this time and it seemed very quiet. He turned, placing his hands on my shoulders and pulling me too him, kissing the top of my head.

"Did we say something wrong?" I asked uncertainly. He smiled down at me lovingly.

"Of course not, silly girl." He said nuzzling his nose behind my ear to the back of my neck. "Why don't you go and get ready. I think we are heading out soon." His voice was muffled in my hair.

"Okay," I said, craning my neck to press my lips to his. I felt a thrill shoot through me again as our lips touched. Would I ever get used to that? He hummed quietly as we kissed softly, stroking my hair before releasing me to my ablutions.

After a long hot shower and brushing my teeth again I found that someone (most likely Alice) had laid out some clothes for me on the bed again. I didn't know where she had found clothes that would fit me, but they were lovely. Soft, dark wash jeans that hugged my hips in a magnificent way and an extremely delicate, long sleeved cotton shirt with a deep v-neck, that was the most lovely grey-blue. It was so comfortable that it felt like I was wearing nothing. She had also left a pair of expensive black lace underwear and a matching bra. I knew I loved her for a reason.

Once I was dressed and I had collected what little I had brought with me in a small duffle bag that Alice (I think) had provided, I found my way downstairs. I checked in the kitchen and in the living room but the Cullens were nowhere to be found.

I heard the piano playing somewhere in the house and I followed the sound. I was certain that it was Yuri playing, as I could always recognize his idiosyncratic style.

I walked through the large hallway of the front entrance and through some French doors to a wing of the house that I had not yet visited. I continued down a long wooden hallway, brightly lit by the large windows on one side, until I came to a doorway at the end of the hallway. I gasped when I entered the room.

Yuri's beautiful playing surrounded me as I entered a large music studio. One entire wall was dedicated to windows that faced the river and trees. The wooden floors were partially covered by a large red, intricately designed Turkish carpet. There were a few shelves packed full with music literature and sheet music. Large paintings adorned the walls. Some were bold and beautiful, and some were dark and violent giving the room a slightly romantic, yet mostly macabre ambiance. An enormous fireplace took up most of the wall behind the piano, but as a fire had not been lit the room was quite chilly.

As I came up behind the piano the beautiful piece that Yuri was playing somehow morphed into the theme song from Jeopardy and I smacked him on the back of his head playfully. He laughed loudly as he stopped playing.

As he craned his head around to look at me his expression changed, becoming stern.

"Miss Meretskov, so happy you could join us today," he said standing abruptly and walking quickly around the bench. "Have a seat please. Quickly now. I would like to get this lesson started."

I sat quickly on the piano bench and raised my fingers obediently to the keys.

"Well," Yuri sneered. "Proceed!"

"Yes sir!" I said quickly, timidly.

I began to play Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, with my back as straight as an arrow as Yuri stalked around me, his arms folded across his chest and his brow furrowed. He mumbled under his breath obscenities in Polish and I snickered as my fingers moved with purpose across the keys.

When Yuri and I had first begun taking piano lessons as children, this had been our favorite game. Dr. Ratajczak had been the most prodigious, and impassioned concert pianist before Yuri and I were born, and a personal friend of our father. He had long lost his ability to play professionally, due to a nervous breakdown and substantial hand tremors, but his training was bar-none the most effective. Our father was away most of the time and in the long hours that Yuri and I were left to our own devices we would dramatically act out incidences from our piano lessons, each taking our turn at channeling Dr. Ratajczak. We had entertained ourselves for hours in this fashion.

Yuri's muttering began to slowly grow in volume as the rhapsody picked up its pace. My fingers suddenly slipped off the keys, hitting several wrong notes and Yuri exploded.

"Constancy! Forget the notes, damn it! BOLDNESS OF ATTACK!!! NOOOOOOOO!" Yuri bellowed madly as he banged the keyboard above my right hand in a fit of passion. He continued to pace around the piano as I played and I remember ever so vividly the trick that Yuri and I used to torment our poor piano instructor.

During out lesson, slowly but surely we would increase the tempo of our piece and as we did so, Dr. Ratajczak would increase the pace of his stride, the pace that he tugged at his long straggly grey hair, the pace that he cursed and mumbled under his breath – until it would be too much for him and he would again bang on the piano in rage.

I was now playing so fast that Yuri was almost running around the piano, when I suddenly looked up and spotted Edward and Emmett standing in the doorway of the hall. I stilled my fingers and the room was quiet.

"Ummmm," Edward laughed, "are you two ready to leave? The car is all packed up." He leaned his head against the doorway, his arms crossed, with a look of amusement in his eyes.

"Well, I am sure not going to take piano lessons from Yuri!" Emmett boomed with laughter. My heart warmed for Emmett. He had been so kind to Yuri and me and had made us feel like a part of the family. It was rare to meet someone so kind.

Yuri and I looked at each other and smiled. We had once again forgotten the world around us.

Just then my cell phone began to ring from inside my bag, which I had left in the entrance of the studio. Edward reached in and tossed it to me deftly. I caught it between my two hands and flipped it open.

"Yeva? Oh for God's sake. Finally you decide to answer your phone. I have been worried sick. Are you and Yuri back in New York yet?" my father's voice came in rapid Russian with an edge that was altogether unfamiliar and jarring.

"Father? We are just leaving Montreal now. Are you alright?" I asked quickly, suddenly worried.

"Yeva. Don't you go out of Yuri's sight, you hear me? Don't you dare go anywhere alone!" His voice was almost unrecognizable and I could hear the panic in his tone.

"I won't father. What is going on?" I needed to know right now what had my father so upset and my stomach dropped as I imagined the possibilities.

"Yeva, I hope to make myself quite clear when I instruct you to speak with no one when you return to New York. You come straight to the Plaza and talk to me. There is something very important that I need to discuss with you and Yuri." I looked over at the doorway to see Edward staring at me fixedly.

"Yes, father. We will come right to you. Are you sure you are all right? I am starting to worry about you!" I nearly choked into the phone, panic bubbling up into my throat.

"Everything is going to be alright Yeva. Everything is going to be fine. Please just hurry home."

"We will." The feeling of uneasiness that had crunched and slithered inside of me the last few nights rose to the surface and solidified, making me feel sluggish and surreal.

In Edward's safe and warm family home, I had forgotten my worries and not noticed how raw my nerves were. I suddenly knew that Edward was not the only one withholding information. I could tell by the curve of my father's tone and its underlying urgency that he knew something. Something was not right.

"Daddy?" I called quickly before he could hang up on me, as he usually did.

"I love you, Yeva. Be safe," and the line went dead.

Fuck.

I snapped my phone shut in frustration. Yuri passed me by, tugging gently on my ponytail as he and Emmett made their way down the hall and out of sight.

I looked down at my hands, my long slim fingers still wrapped tightly around my phone. The bracelet that my father gave me on my 18th birthday dangled loosely around my wrist. I suddenly felt overwhelmed by dread. What was going on? There were so many little details that didn't seem to add up, and when I tried to compile them all, they would slip from my consciousness. It was too much to wrap my mind around, as it all seemed so surreal. And what was going to happen to Yuri and me? What about all of our stuff? I was certain that it was mostly all ruined. I also knew that I would never set foot in that apartment again! So where would we live? These were all things that needed to be dealt with immediately. On top of it all, I had now missed a few days of school and I needed to return for rehearsals. Our spring performances were looming and I if I missed out, I could kiss my career goodbye. I suddenly felt silly to be thinking about school right now.

I knew Edward had been standing in the doorway the whole time and I heard him quietly move toward me, kneeling down before me and placing his hands on either side of me on the piano bench. He searched my face, his eyes full of worry.

"We don't have to go, you know," he said in his low, smooth voice. His voice always made me feel slightly lightheaded, in a very pleasant way. "We can bring your father here. You don't have to go back until you are ready." One of his hands left the bench and lifted my chin with his cold fingers. When I looked into his eyes, my unease calmed slightly. His finger traced my cheek tenderly and I felt myself smile.

"I can't just run away. I need to go back and get on with my life. Whatever this is will end. I am not afraid," I lied. The expression on his face told me that he didn't believe a word I said.

"You don't always have to be so strong, Yeva. You can lean on me. Let me carry some of your burden," he whispered.

"I feel like you are already carrying me," I replied honestly, resting my head on his shoulder.

He wrapped his arms firmly around my waist and stood quickly, pulling me up with him in his strong arms. My bare feet dangled high above the floor and I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck. He kissed my lips softly and I felt desire shoot through me again. Something deep within me seemed to react very strongly to Edward and I felt myself latch onto him without my consent. It overwhelmed me…almost consumed me.

Strangely, I felt the same urgency surrounding him, consuming him as he kissed me passionately. His smell, his touch, his taste…it was almost painful and I felt like my heart was going to explode. Our lips moved together with urgency as all of my worry and anxiety propelled my desire for him and he responded with equal energy. Another low growl erupted from deep within his chest, as his grasp tightened around me. He tasted so sweet; so sexy…I couldn't help myself but to suck on his bottom lip. Edward growled again, and I felt heat shoot through my core.

I felt my back hit the wall and Edward was pushing himself against me, his hands all over me, desperately touching and caressing me. I felt a curious pressure building up from deep within my center, pushing its way to my skin. All I could think about was Edward's long fingers, Edward's sweet smell, Edward's strength and protection, Edward's hard body pushing against mine…Edward pushing between my legs. I was becoming dizzy and my breath was coming in short and uneven bursts.

Suddenly Edward's mouth pulled away from mine as he gasped for breath. He rested his forehead against mine and remained perfectly still.

"_I don't want to hurt you_," he whispered and I was uncertain if I had actually heard him.

"What do you mean? You won't hurt me," I panted, my brow furrowing in confusion. Edward stopped breathing. He set me down on my feet very suddenly and pulled me away and stared ferociously into my eyes.

"What?" he asked, with a dismayed look on his face. "What did I just say to you?"

"Ummm…you said that you didn't want to hurt me. Are you okay?" I asked, my stomach turning slightly. Edward continued to stare into my face, as though he were searching for something. Then he crushed me to him again, wrapping his strong arms protectively around me, squeezing me tightly.

"I swear to God Yeva. I will protect you. I will never let anything hurt you. Ever."

I didn't respond. If I had ever had a doubt that there was more to Edward than met the eye, such doubts were dashed. There was no question. Something was very wrong. But Edward's words made me feel safe, and I knew that he would be there to protect me.

"Let's go," I said, squeezing his hand and pulling him toward the door.

We said goodbye to the Cullens, but not for long. They would be joining us in New York later in the week. We learned that they owned a home there as well and were thinking about spending more time in New York. Esme kissed me on the cheek and Rosalie hugged me tightly. Emmett swung me around, telling me that he couldn't wait for me to be his sister. I blushed again, for good measure. Jasper hugged me awkwardly and with great care as though he were terrified of breaking me. Carlisle kissed both of my cheeks and told me that if I needed anything, I should not hesitate to call him. We all said our final goodbyes and Alice and Edward, Yuri and I were on the road. Back to New York. No more hiding. I could do nothing to suppress the feeling of foreboding that was slowly building in the back of my mind.

**END NOTES:** Right, so this chapter probably raised more questions than it answered. But I assure you that the shit that went down in this chapter will be clarified shortly. Any guesses as to what the hell is going on? Lay 'er on me!

If you don't review I will send Yuri to your house to give you a piano lesson. I would say that I would send Edward to torture-tickle you…but you would probably like that.

-Olirin


	13. Build and Suppress

CHAPTER NOTES:

I didn't realize that I had not posted this…so there will be a double update today. So this chapter is a little dark and a little lemony. I hope you enjoy!

Yeva slept for the most of the journey home. While she slept I was forced to listen to Yuri and Alice bicker incessantly about ridiculous factoids, which mostly made me laugh quietly to myself in the back seat. Yuri was holding his own against Alice as the conversation became sillier and sillier. Yuri gesticulated enthusiastically as he tried to prove his point to Alice. They both seemed to be enjoying themselves, so I allowed myself to zone out of the conversation for a while to concentrate on Yeva's soft breathing. Her body still needed so much sleep and I could only imagine that it was from the constant strain and stress of the last week. I was in awe of her strength and wisdom. She seemed to know very well what was good for her and her brother and she made sure to do just that. But I was worried that she was bottling her emotions and trying too hard to remain stoic. I was certain that her father had drilled such a mentality into her all her life.

Thinking of Ivan renewed my worry about what was awaiting us back in New York. From what I could understand, Ivan was prepared to tell Yuri and Yeva the truth about Bella's death. I could also see that he was terrified about the well being of his children. I felt a wave of sympathy for him as I thought about his position. He was certain to be blamed for both murders, as he was the only common factor in 18 years – twin crimes, both connected to him. His wife had been violently murdered and now an unknown force was stalking his children. I wished that I could put him at ease somehow, but I knew it was not possible. And how would Yuri and Yeva react? How would they handle such information, especially after what they had been through? It would terrify them! I gently pulled Yeva closer to my side in the backseat as Alice raced forward at almost double the speed limit. We would be in New York soon and I had so much to think about.

I was really concerned about Yeva and Yuri's gift, and how it seemed to be expanding. They had both heard Carlisle's thoughts in the kitchen at breakfast this morning, and then Yeva had heard my thoughts in the music studio. I didn't understand it but it appeared to be sporadic, or so it seemed. I didn't know what I would do if the gift continued to expand. It was as if they had absorbed my talent, and if they had absorbed my talent, they could certainly absorb others. On top of all of that, their minds appeared to be connected. This was incredibly dangerous. I shuddered to think what would happen if the Volturi ever discovered their talent. I wouldn't be able to protect them! Aro would stop at nothing to obtain such powers for his guard, and if he could not have them for himself, he would be forced to destroy them. My stomach flipped at the thought. No. We had to make sure that no one found out about this.

It was also going to become increasingly difficult for me to keep necessary secrets. I had tried to think of some way to tell Yeva about what I truly was...but I had come up with nothing. I was too much of a coward, for surely if she knew the truth she would not want to be with me. And what of Bella? How could I tell her what Bella and I were to each other? It was all so wrong...and bizarre.

All of these questions had buzzed around in my mind for weeks, but I knew one thing for certain. I knew that this time I could not walk away. I could never leave Yeva as I had left Bella. And I couldn't lie to her either. If we were going to be together she would have to know the truth about everything. But I didn't want her to find out by mistake. I wanted to be the one to tell her.

When we were a few hours away from our destination, Yuri asked Alice if we could find a convenience store because he was starving. I suddenly felt guilty. I had been so distracted that I had forgotten how often humans need to eat. I was sure that Yuri and Yeva were not eating enough...I wasn't taking good enough care of them. We quickly found a convenience store and Alice and Yuri hopped out. I didn't move from Yeva side.

"What can I get for you, Eddie?" Yuri asked playfully as he stuck his head back into the passenger side door.

"Surprise me," I replied, uncertain as to what kind of human food was available at a store like this.

"Yes sir," Yuri said quietly, closing the door behind him.

It seemed that it was about time I consumed some human food again. It had been too long since they had seen me eat.

I felt Yeva stir at my side and I gently brushed her cheek, pressing soft kisses in her silky, thick hair.

"Mmmmm. Where are we?" she whispered with her eyes still closed.

"We are almost home. We just stopped to grab something from the store. Do you need anything?" I brushed her hair away from her face and she snuggled closer to me.

"Hmmm, I am craving chocolate milk. Maybe I will run in and get some," she said without moving at all. I laughed quietly at the sleepy girl in my arms. She looked so beautiful today. Her hair was in a long ponytail that hung down her back in glossy waves, and her jeans hugged her curves perfectly. I couldn't take my eyes off of her.

"You stay here. I will run in and get you some chocolate milk. Anything else?" I slid out from under her arms and immediately missed the closeness.

"Oh, thank you Edward. No, just the chocolate milk. I think I will be crazy if I don't have some soon!" I laughed again and opened the car door and made my way into the gas station shop.

Alice was at the till of the dirty little store and the pimple faced young man lazily rang through her purchases. Yuri came around the from behind a shelf of food, his arms laden with snacks. He handed them quickly to me, shoving them into my arms.

"Hold on to these for sec, will you? I have to piss like a race horse," he said out of the corner of his mouth and taking off quickly to the washroom. I looked down at his selections and right on top was a small carton of chocolate milk.

When Yuri returned from the washroom and we got back into to the car, Yuri handed the chocolate milk to Yeva without saying a word. How did he know that it was what she wanted? I had not mentioned it to him.

After about 20 minutes of driving, Yuri suddenly dug into Yeva's bag retrieving her cell phone from the front pocket. He tossed it back to Yeva, who caught it adroitly with one hand.

"I should probably put his mind at ease," Yeva sighed, holding the phone. Just as I was beginning to wonder what they were thinking, Yeva's phone rang loudly.

Yeva had apparently anticipated this call and flipped the phone open without hesitation.

"Hello father," she said calmly. I could hear Ivan's frantic tone on the other end of the line, asking how long it would take them to get back to New York.

"I think we should be back within a few hours...hmmm around 10 o'clock, I think. Don't worry father, everything is all right. We are still with Edward," she said anxiously. I could tell that Ivan was frightened, and that his panic was upsetting Yeva.

When she closed her phone and handed it back to Yuri, I wondered how they had known the phone was going to ring and it deepened my suspicion that their gift was expanding. I wondered what it all meant, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt ill at ease.

A few hours later, Alice dropped us off on the curb in front of the plaza and the doorman quickly opened the back door of the car and Yeva stepped out. Yuri and I hurried around the car as Alice took off. She had claimed that she had a migraine and needed to get home to the quiet of our flat. The bright lights of the Plaza lobby were warm and welcoming as we dropped our luggage by the front desk.

"Good evening sir and welcome to the Plaza. How may I help you?" _Holy gorgeous_! I was greeted with both the verbal and mental thoughts of the young woman behind the counter.

"Yes, good evening," I replied. "We have rooms booked under the name of Meretskov."

"Yes sir, just one moment please." _You can stay in my room anytime! _"Here we are sir. I have three of our signature rooms booked under that name, two of which are vacant," she said trying not to look into my eyes for fear she would lose all mental capacity. "Actually sir, I do believe that Mr. Meretskov is in the Champagne lounge right this moment. He has been inquiring about your arrival in half hour intervals for quite some time now." _What a beautiful family. Oh my God look at the tall one with those green eyes! Ooooh and black hair…so sexy! I would love to take them both to bed with me! Now, how to ditch the green-eyed girl? Hopefully she is their sister. _

I cleared my throat loudly and tried to ignore the girl's repulsively graphic thoughts as we thanked her and found our way to the champagne lounge. The bellboy took what little luggage Yuri and Yeva had up to their rooms, his thoughts focused thoroughly on Yeva's haunting eyes.

"Should I leave?" I whispered in Yeva's ear. "I don't know how happy your father will be to see me." Yeva's grasp on my hand tightened.

"Please don't leave me!" Her tone was slightly hysterical and I nodded quickly, confirming that I would stay.

As the hour was getting to be quite late, the champagne lounge was busy. The large windows that reached from the ceiling almost to the floor let it the city lights through the long red, velvet curtains. The beautiful crystal chandeliers had been dimmed, creating a pleasant glow in the room. There were many people in the lounge, all chattering quietly as they sipped their cocktails at the low tables. Through the diffuse hum of the thoughts of those in the room, I could hear the panicked tenor of Ivan's thoughts. He was pacing in the corner of the lounge going over and over the events of the past few days. He was thinking about Bella's death and how he had struggled to keep his sanity. He was terrified that something similar was going to happen to his children. He was especially worried for Yeva. Her face kept flashing in his mind and he trembled with nerves. He knew that something dark was happening here. He also knew that there was no way that this was a coincidence. His wife had been cursed and now the curse had fallen upon his beloved children. He glanced our way and his eyes became wide when he saw Yuri and Yeva standing there. He walked quickly toward us with the grace of a dancer, relief written all over his face.

Ivan seized Yeva by the arms so sharply that my breath caught and I had to check myself so as not to knock him on his ass for handling her so roughly. However, when he saw Yeva's startled expression he realized his error and gently chucked her under the chin in a loving gesture.

He embraced Yeva and then Yuri, whispering affections in Russian. His trepidation grew again as he looked over at me. I shifted uncomfortably as his mind again flickered the picture of Bella and myself.

_The same golden eyes. I feel so strange…something is not normal about him. _

Then Ivan's thoughts brought up a vivid picture of Bella, twisting in her sheets screaming my name over and over again. I had seen this image once before in Ivan's mind – but this time the memory was crystal clear and connected unquestionably to the photo of me that Bella had found some years ago. Where before there was uncertainty, now there was fear and genuine distrust.

_But look at how he has been there for my children. Yeva has always had a sixth sense and has been a good judge of character. She seems to trust him. Yuri seems to trust him too. What could I even say?_

Ivan stared openly at me as his thoughts spun madly in his mind. Yeva noticed and nudged him gently to get his attention.

"Good evening Mr. Meretskov. I am sorry that we have to meet again under these circumstances, but it is nice to see you," I said, my voice smooth and unreadable.

"Yes, Edward. Good to see you as well. I must thank you for looking after Yuri and Yeva these past few days. I owe you a great debt," he said evenly shaking my hand. _Cold. Inhuman._

Fuck. I knew Bella would never marry a fool, but he was too clever for his own good. But I also knew that he had grown up in a different sort of culture that was a lot more accepting of such myths as the undead.

Ivan eyed me warily as Yeva joined her hand with mine once more.

"Shall we sit father? You said that you needed to speak with us about something important?" Yeva asked, motioning toward some comfortable looking armchairs.

"I think not tonight. You have had a long day and I would not want to interfere with rehearsals tomorrow. I have spoken with Madame Belyea about your missed classed and she has reassured me that it has not been a problem, however you will need to do your best in rehearsals tomorrow. I don't want you to forget how important the spring performance is, Yeva. I hope you understand that every major ballet company will be there," Ivan lectured and I found myself getting annoyed. He obviously had no idea just how talented his daughter really was.

"So perhaps tomorrow night the three of us can have a chat?" Ivan requested. Both Yuri and Yeva seemed to realize that it was not really a request. It was mandatory.

"Certainly, father," Yuri said. "Well, I guess it is off to bed then." Yuri kissed Yeva on the cheek and winked at me as he made his way back to the lobby.

"Shall we call you a cab, Edward?" Ivan asked. Another "request". _I better not find you in my daughter's room._

"Thank you sir," I said with every ounce of civility that I could muster. As we made our way back into the lobby, Ivan continued to lecture Yeva about the importance of the spring performance. Yeva nodded quietly and seemed to be taking everything that he said to heart.

The doorman had a cab for me within a few moments and I kissed Yeva's hand before saying goodnight. Her eyes looked terrified. The deep green depth of her eyes was screaming for me not to go. Ivan said good night and walked back into the lobby, waiting for his daughter. I took my chance and whispered quickly in her ear.

"Do you want me to come back?"

"Please," she whispered. One word.

"You won't be alone. I'll be there as soon as I can." I kissed her forehead once more before I stepped into the cab.

The taxi driver had not gotten very far before I asked him to stop. I slipped him a fifty as I stepped back out into the cold evening and made my way back to the Plaza, as snow began to fall over the city. Once I arrived at the Plaza, I made certain that no one saw me as I took the stairs up to Yeva's room. I knocked quietly on the door and Yeva opened it right away, jumping into my arms and wrapping her legs around my waist. I laughed quietly as I shut the door behind us, locking it.

"I was getting anxious!" Yeva said breathlessly into my neck, as she clung tightly to me. I laughed again and made my way over to the silk armchair by the tall window, looking down over 58th street.

"I wasn't gone long," I teased, taking a deep breath of her beautiful scent as I held her tightly in my arms.

The room was large yet cozy, with a beautiful king sized bed covered in fine linens. I swept Yeva into my arms so that she could sit on my lap as I sat down in the armchair holding her close. Rocking her back and forth, humming quietly. We sat like that for a while and my mind began to drift as I felt Yeva relax in my arms.

"Did Yuri teach you that song?" Yeva suddenly wondered allowed. I froze. I was such an idiot! I had been humming Bella's lullaby. Where was my mind? I cleared my throat, trying to think of a reason that I would know that song.

"Um, yes. He was humming it the other day. Who wrote it?" I asked innocently. Yeva sighed and tucked her head under my chin. Her hot breath warmed my chest and tickled my skin. It felt delicious.

"I am not sure, really. Our mother used to hum it to us. Sometimes I feel like I remember it…but it is probably just a placed memory. Our father used to tell us about it often. We have been searching for it for years, but we have yet to find its origin."

She sounded nostalgic and I ached to tell her it was I that had written that song. But I am sure it would not be a comfort to her at all. She would hate me if she ever found out about my connection to Bella. What was I doing? I didn't know. I only knew that I couldn't stop. I was too weak to ever leave this angel that I held in my arms. Too weak.

"Are you sleepy, Yeva? Would you like me to take you to bed now?" I whispered.

"Mmmmhmm," she hummed. I picked up her delicate little body and carried her toward the large bed, pulling back the sheets and setting her between them. She immediately pushed herself over, making room for me.

I realized for the first time that she was only wearing a thin tank top and tiny little cotton shorts. I had to look away, before I got to the point that I couldn't stop myself from tearing them off. The pull I felt to her physically was unbearable. Even just looking at her graceful curves and smooth skin set fire to my soul. I was constantly uncomfortable…aching….in pain! I needed to think about something else right now.

"You won't be comfortable in those jeans, Edward. You don't have to be shy around me," Yeva smirked. Her long hair fell stunningly across the pillow and the contrast of white and black caused me to gawk. She closed her eyes tightly and I quickly (and shyly) removed my pants. I had never been before a woman that was not family without my pants on. It felt so strange! I crawled in between the cool sheets in my boxer-briefs and my t-shirt. I felt Yeva shiver beside me, so I wrapped the blankets tightly around me. She put her cheek on my shoulder and pulled herself flush to my body. She was so warm. So warm.

"And you are so cold. Always," she whispered, half asleep. I felt a wave of panic that diminished as quickly as it came. It seemed that she only heard clips of what I was thinking and only when her mind was very relaxed. I was so worried about the day when she would hear something damaging. Like she almost had when Carlisle had thought that Yeva looked so much like her mother. If his mental thought had been altered even slightly, it could not have been explained away. If he had thought "So much like Bella," instead of "So much like her mother," there would have been a serious problem.

I looked down at the sleeping girl in my arms and felt anxious. The thought of losing her trust tore at my heartstrings and made me feel like the world was pressing down on me. There was so much that I needed to focus on right now. Number one being Victoria. I wondered where she was and what she had planned. I had underestimated Victoria to the detriment of those I loved. Fortunately, she had also underestimated me. I was going to end her, this much I knew for certain. She would die. Painfully.

As my thoughts weaved and twisted, Yeva moaned softly in my arms. I suddenly wondered how much of my thoughts she heard in her sleep and tried to pry myself away from my violent train of thought. I thought instead of my love for her. I thought of kissing her and carrying her in my arms_. I will never let anything hurt you, my love. You are safe with me. _As though she really had heard my thoughts, Yeva sighed contentedly and snuggled closer into my body. Joy. Glory of the mind and body. This was my home. Anywhere that Yeva was, I needed to be. She was the centre of my universe. She was all that mattered to me now. I softly stroked her hair and hummed to her. Music sprang to life in my mind as I imagined Yeva smiling and laughing. As I imagined Yeva holding my hand. The vibrant string of melody filled my thoughts in a gentle ebb and flow, and I realized that it had been more than two decades since I had composed. It felt wonderful. I felt alive!

Soon Yeva was deep asleep and I lay staring at the ceiling. The plaza was surprisingly quiet, as this room was high above the streets of New York. Yeva's quiet breathing had calmed me to the core of my being and I allowed the weight of my body sink into the mattress. In a short spasm, Yeva's sleeping fingers grasped onto the elastic of my boxers sending a flare of lust shooting through my veins. It felt as though her skin was burning mine and I had to consciously slow my breathing and allow myself to relax again.

Her fingers relaxed and she rested her open palm on my lower abdomen, sending another thrill through me. I unconsciously pulled her closer to me, and she sighed lightly, tilting her face up to mine until our lips met. I released a breath that I did not know I had been holding and inhaled deeply. Her scent washed over me...freesia and jasmine...the scent of her blood was intoxicating.

A feeling of elation accelerated my false hormones and left me feeling vertiginous and more that a little prurient. Her warm lips opened slightly against mine, and her sweet breath filled my senses. Her hot tongue touched my lips causing me to react before I could stop myself, and I suddenly found myself on top of her. Her fragile frame lay beneath me, waiting.

Her eyes were wild as they looked up at me in the darkness, flashing deep emerald. I took a moment to steady myself and check my control...I stopped breathing. She reached her fingers up and touched the side of my face. I closed my eyes against the warmth of her touch, and slowly lowered myself down to her mouth again, making certain that I did not allow my weight to fall on her.

"Edward please. Oh please!" she whispered, arching her back up to me – pressing herself against my hardness. There was nothing between us but a few thin layers of cotton. She gasped as I pushed in between her legs, feeling her wet heat through my underwear.

"I need you." The sound of her moan shot through my core and pushed a little more between her legs.

She tugged at the bottom of my shirt, trying to get it up over my shoulders. I assisted her, chucking the offensive garment on the carpeted floor of the room. She then began to remove her own tank top, and I could see the dark buds of her nipples beneath the white cotton. More and more of her creamy white skin was exposed until she lay bare before me, but for her tiny cotton shorts. It was all happening so fast that I could not stop myself…I could not find the will to even try. I wanted this more than I had ever wanted anything.

I could never have dreamed of such perfection. Her breasts were a flawless work of art and I could not rip my gaze away. Yeva placed her hands firmly on my shoulders, trying to pull me back down to her. I relinquished myself to her, and reveled in the amazing sensation of our naked torsos pressing together...fire and ice. I shuddered with pleasure as our lips made contact again.

Yeva moaned softly as she began to rock against me, in search of friction. A low rumble came from my chest at the contact of my groin to hers and in one fell swoop I had torn her little shorts to shreds, leaving her completely exposed beneath me. She trembled in my arms as she tugged gently at my underwear. This was happening. This was going to happen if I didn't stop it! I had to stop it, didn't I? Didn't I?

"Edward is this okay?" her voice came to me, small and heavy with emotion. I kissed her with every ounce of passion and love that I felt for her. I needed her and I needed her now.

I allowed her to pull my underwear down and kicked them to the bottom of the bed with my feet. It was the most strange and lovely sensation that I had ever experienced in my hundred-plus years. I was completely naked, in bed with the woman I loved with all of my heart. It felt surreal and raw…like all of my senses were vibrating and my nerves were live wires. I brushed against her inner thigh and I almost came completely undone…so soft and warm. She was so beautiful…so perfect in everyway…like a goddess. I kissed her again, opening my mouth ever so slightly…just for a moment so that I could taste her mouth.

Heaven…so sweet.

She was shivering beneath me, waiting for my next move. She trusted me completely. She believed in the good in me…she didn't see me for the monster that I was. If she knew the truth, would this even be happening? Would she allow me to touch her in the way? Would she be so willing to give herself to me?

I think not. What was I doing? I couldn't take everything that she was offering me without her knowing the truth. She squirmed beneath me in anticipation, waiting for me to come inside. She touched my lower abdomen and I trembled violently at the contact. I wanted this so badly! I wanted more than anything in the world to be connected to her, to feel her completely.

_STOP!_ My mind shouted, trying to get my attention.

"Stop?" Yeva asked, looking confused.

"Yeva…I…I…" I could not find my voice. _I can't do this_? I suddenly realized that my breath was coming very fast and I wondered if vampires could have panic attacks. Yeva lay quietly beneath me, her expression unreadable.

"Talk to me Edward. Whatever it is, we can figure it out. Talk to me now. Tell me," she commanded quietly, her voice full of authority.

She pushed me onto my back and I consented, allowing myself to collapse onto the pillow. My whole body throbbed with tension – with unfulfilled desire. I ached.

Yeva rolled onto her side, propping herself up on her elbow as she stared into my eyes.

"I think you will find me very understanding." I laughed at her words, as I knew that no one could be that understanding.

"I don't know about that Yeva. There is so much that I have kept from you. There is so much about me that I can't tell you," I said, scrubbing my face with both hands in frustration.

"I am going to find out sooner or later Edward. I want to be with you. I won't leave your side. I am here. Okay?" she questioned, sounding nervous.

"You don't know that yet," I said seriously, trying to warn her with my eyes.

"Do you want to be with me, Edward?" she asked. I could tell she was trying to sound normal, but her voice shook a little.

"Yeva. I want to be with you forever! I have never in all my long years wanted something so badly as I want you!" I cupped her face with both of my hand, my eyes burning into hers. She whimpered quietly at my forcefulness.

"Then I can wait. I can wait until you are ready to tell me. You have done so much for me, been there for me through all of this. I can wait." She was resolute.

"I just need a little more time. Just give me a little more time. Please?" I pulled her into my arms, crushing her to my chest.

"Of course," she whispered in the darkness.

END NOTES:

In the next chapter, the shit really hits the fan! There is a reason for everything…and it is all going to come together soon!


	14. Rise and Fall

CHAPTER NOTES:

I am so sorry that this chapter is so late. I am on a roll now, so the next chapter should be around soon.

I woke up the next morning feeling groggy and…frustrated. I pulled the soft comforter away from my face and turned on my side, stretching my toes down into the cold sheets. Edward was gone and the room seemed empty and sad, and I had to stifle the panic rising inside of me. I looked out the window into the gray light of morning and noticed that snow was falling gently over the city, and I sighed heavily. I so longed for spring. I felt as though winter was suffocating me.

I knew that it was almost time to leave for school, but I could not help but lie in bed for a few more minutes, trying to sort through my racing thoughts. There were so many topics up for evaluation. Edward's strange behaviour, my father's stranger behaviour…trying to figure out where we were going to live and what we were going to do with our flat. At the moment the most consuming worry was that today rehearsals began at school, and I could not be more distracted. I didn't think it was too late for them to pull me from the performance if I couldn't get it together. I nearly choked on the thought. I had worked so long for these few moments to showcase my talent. This was my chance to really fulfill my dreams…to make my father proud. And now the whole world seemed to be crashing down on me. I was in a constant state of un-ease. I couldn't eat, I couldn't focus…I couldn't remember the last time I had a good nights sleep. I really needed to get it together, if only for a few more weeks. When the performances were over, I could then deal with this emotional turmoil.

I eventually dragged myself out of bed and showered, grabbing a complimentary carton of juice and sipping it as I got dressed for school. My exterior was calm, moving in methodical motion as I went through my morning routine, but my thoughts bubbled and seethed. As I pulled on a pair of loose jeans over my leggings, my mind vacillated between extreme annoyance at Edward's behaviour last night, and deep concern. I understood his need for secrecy to an extent, but why did he find it so difficult to trust me? I knew he was hiding something and the more I thought about it the more my anxiety was heightened as I considered the possibilities. My anxiety was not helped by the uncomfortable tugging at the back of my mind; a fear that something was going to happen. Something felt off, and I could not shake this feeling of impending doom.

I threw my ballet flats into my large, brown leather messenger bag and flew down the hallway to my father's room, knotting my hair at the back of my neck as I ran. I knocked several times before deciding that he must be downstairs having breakfast. I then turned and walked a few steps and knocked on Yuri's door, waiting impatiently as I heard him sauntering toward the door and flung it open.

"Hey, were did you get the orange juice?" he asked, grabbing my carton of juice and taking a long sip. He was dressed only in a pair of jeans and half of his face was still covered in shaving cream. I sighed restlessly. I had really hoped he would be ready for school by now. I wondered why I felt so edgy.

"Have you seen dad this morning?" I asked, walking by him and plopping myself down on the massive bed, picking up a section of morning newspaper which was scattered across the comforter and paged though it aimlessly.

"No, I just woke up a little while ago," Yuri called from the washroom. "But he is supposed to be there for your rehearsals today. He promised Madame Belyea. Hey, do you think there is something going on with those two?"

My stomach flipped in horror and delight at the thought of my father at my rehearsal, and I was startled by my own reaction. It had been a long while since he had last seen me dance and sometimes I felt as though he was the only true gage of my progress. I ignored Yuri's question and continued to flip through the paper. I was so lost in thought that I did not notice Yuri approaching until I felt his weight on the bed beside me.

"Just try not to think too much about it. Right?" I met his gaze. His green eyes, so like my own, were full of concern. "Yeva, seriously. First off, you are amazingly talented! And second, who gives a flying fuck what our pretentious father thinks!"

I knew he was right, but my nerves were going haywire and I needed to move again.

"We need to move it," I said, messing his hair as I stood…needing to run from my own thoughts.

Our father was not in reception, nor was he eating breakfast in the restaurant. Yuri and I wandered around for a few minutes, hoping to catch sight of him.

Yuri grabbed us each another juice from a cart in the lobby. As I sipped my apple juice (mmm it had been forever since I had apple juice) I let my thoughts wander.

I was more than a little irritated that he was not around this morning as I had been counting on seeing him. His behaviour last night had left me feeling bewildered and I wanted to hear what he had to say. It was entirely rare to see my father in any state of discomfort, and it had put me ill at ease.

My father had always been very stern and stoic, finding us lacking at any display of weakness. Yuri and I were taught to guard our emotions and not allow anyone to know when we were uncomfortable, and now to see my father breaking his own rules made me wonder if something really big wasn't going on. The timing just seemed odd, with the murder in our flat. I shivered at the thought and my skin crawled as my mind lingered on the details of that night. Under normal circumstances I was adept at blocking out unpleasant thoughts, but I couldn't help but feel like there was something I was missing…some key point of information. My thoughts continued to return to the scene of the crime - in search of some rational reason for all of this. Some glimmer of understanding. It had all seemed so senseless…so dark.

My stomach twisted uncomfortably for the hundredth time that week and I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was anxious to get to school where I would be too busy to think of these things. Plus, I hoped to see my father before rehearsals began…if in fact he was at the school already and not off somewhere with Madame Belyea as Yuri had suggested. God. He better not be with her.

When we arrived at the school, Edward was waiting for us near the doors. I felt relief wash over me when I saw him there, as if I had been waiting for him for years. He was standing perfectly still, holding a brown paper bag. He was wearing straight leg, dark wash trouser jeans that fit him perfectly and a black blazer over a black t-shirt and runners. His strange bronze hair was even more chaotic than usual and his pale skin looked otherworldly in the soft morning light. As if sensing our presence, Edward turned in our direction and his disquieting golden eyes flashed to mine. For a brief moment I thought his face looked distressed, but before I could appraise his features further, an unreadable mask fell over his face. A small smile graced his lips and I felt my heart rate increase exponentially. Another abnormal reaction…I must be losing my mind.

Yuri and I made our way over to Edward, who extended the paper bag to Yuri before pulling me into his strong arms. I released the breath that I had not been aware I was holding and allowed myself to dissolve into his arms, breathing in his delicious scent like a fool. I wanted to scold myself for becoming so attached to Edward. But for that moment I permitted myself to feel safe. But why had I felt so ill at ease?

"You need to eat something Yeva. You have a big day today," Edward whispered into my hair.

" I already ate, but thank you," I lied. The thought of food sickened me at the moment and I wasn't in the mood for a lecture. Edward sighed loudly and I felt his arms move around me as he took the paper bag back from Yuri, removing a banana and handing it to me. I looked up into his face and found him looking down at me in disapproval. I took the banana and stuck it into my messenger bag for later, rolling my eyes at him. His lips twitched a little and I knew he wanted to smile.

"Well, good luck Yeva," Yuri said with a mouthful of the breakfast sandwich that Edward had brought, as he reached out and mussed my hair a little. I hissed in protest as Yuri walked off.

"Oh, and tell dad to call me on my cell phone!" he yelled behind him.

"We should get to class," Edward said, pulling me close to him again. "I will try and cut out early to come and watch your rehearsal."

"You don't have to do that, Edward. You have missed so much school already. I feel terribly about that." I looked up into his face to protest further but before I could utter another word his lips found mine and I melted. His indefinable scent filled my senses and I became dizzy as memories of last night filled my mind, pushing away all of my worries. His lips were so cold and smooth against mine…and they sent electricity shooting through my body. He held me tighter for a brief moment before releasing me. I immediately missed the contact and pushed my weight into his side as we made our way down the hallway to class. If we didn't hurry we were going to be late and I really needed a moment to speak to my father before the long rehearsals began.

But my father was not at rehearsals. The rehearsal hall was dark, but for the stage lights, and it was packed with ballet students and staff. The arts director and a few of the other ballet instructors were running the show, and the auditorium with filled with a frenzy of activity. Strangely (or perhaps not so strangely) Madame Belyea was also missing which was highly unusual. I suddenly wondered if Yuri was onto something when he had supposed that Madame Belyea and our father were having a relationship of sorts. Now that I was here, ready to dance, I felt extremely disappointed that my father was not here to watch. But my disappointment was slightly curbed by a more sinister feeling. It was so very unlike my father to not be where he said he was going to be. He had always been a man of his word and I was slightly alarmed by his absence. I threw my bag down on a chair in the audience and stripped off my jeans and sweater, slipping my feet into my ballet shoes and tying them securely.

Alice was already on stage and she smiled at me as the stage director shouted out the act and places. I once again felt comforted by her presence.

I quickly fell into my usual trance as I expressed myself through dance. I did not so much see Edward as I felt him come into the auditorium and I had to force myself to stay focused. Just knowing that he was watching me dance made me feel more awkward than I had ever felt, and I was suddenly very glad that my father was not here.

The rehearsal was long and gruelling. I had not slept very much the night before and I had yet to eat the banana that Edward brought for me, so by the time rehearsal was over I was exhausted. Collapsing onto the side of the stage with my feet dangling over the edge, I chugged a bottle of cold water in seconds then immediately grasped my head as a particularly brutal brain freeze hit.

One of the instructors walked by, patting my leg a little too high and I jolted backward in discomfort.

His name was Branson and he had always made me feel uncomfortable by standing too close and allowing his eyes to linger too long over my body. I wanted to punch him in the face, but unfortunately he was almost at the top and I needed to stay in his good graces.

"Keep up the good work Yeva. You have more grace and stage presence that Polina Semionova ever had. With a little determination you will be more renowned," he said, with a strange edge to his voice, his greying curly blonde hair dripping with sweat. _I would be available to assist you privately at any time_.

"Pardon me, sir?" I asked confused. What had he just said?

"Yeva, if you see your father, please send him my regards," he said turning to leave.

"Yes, sir. Um, sir…have you seen Madame Belyea today? I was really hoping to speak with her. Do you know where she is?" I asked, calling after him.

"Good question," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he walked up the isle and out of the rehearsal hall.

Suddenly, Edward was at my side and I gasped in surprise. Sometimes he moved so quickly! He had a deep scowl on his face and he took my leg and began to remove my dance shoes with vigour. I looked into his face trying to catch his eye – or to determine what had upset him so.

"What's wrong?" I asked. Edward sighed, finally meeting my eyes and relaxed his face a little.

"Sorry. I just really don't like that guy." _I will end him if he comes near her_.

"What do you mean, if he comes near me?" Did he think Branson would hurt me?

Edward stared back at me in shock and I looked down at my feet. I was starting to feel a little light-headed and I rested my head on Edward's shoulder, digging the banana out of my messenger bag. Was I hearing things?

"I…" Edward began.

"Yeva!" Yuri called, walking down the isle toward us. "Hey, where is dad?" he asked, looking around him in confusion. "He never called me and I can't get a hold of him on his phone."

"Not here. No word from him," I said shaking my head, trying not to let him see my disappointment. I really didn't want to set Yuri off about this. "Let's go back to the hotel and find him. I am really tired…rehearsals were a bitch."

"Yeah, cool. Let's go. I am fucking starving. You coming, Edward?" Yuri asked as he grabbed my bags off of the stage.

Edward looked at me questioningly and I smiled at him warmly.

"Yes, if you are inviting me," he answered smiling back at me, his eyes crinkling at the sides. I felt another thrill to see his expression so soft and I felt relaxed at the knowledge that he would be around me this evening. Maybe we would have a chance to talk…I really needed to tell him what was on my mind. And if I was honest with myself, I needed his comfort.

We made our way into the lobby where we saw Alice approaching us quickly. Her face was a bit hysterical, and my heart skipped a beat as she grasped at Edward's arm forcefully. They stared at each other for a moment with great intensity. I was trying to understand what form of communication was crossing between them, but no words were spoken. I felt a chill up my spine as I saw Edward's face darken.

"I am sorry Yeva. I will have to see you later. You enjoy dinner with your father, alright?" Edward said, kissing me on the top of the head before taking off with his sister without another word, crashing through the door and out of sight. Yuri and I looked at each other in confusion.

"Weird." Yuri said before pulling me to the door, and into the early evening light.

Back at the plaza, we went up to our rooms to shower and change. I was feeling even more restless now than I was this morning. I quickly dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans with brown knee-high riding boots and a black sweater with an orange scarf. I tugged my hair into a messy bun before meeting Yuri in the hallway to go down and look for our father.

But our father was not to be found. We went upstairs to check his room again, before heading back down to the lobby to inquire after him at the front desk. Perhaps he left us a message there? My stomach was beginning to churn nervously as we approached the older gentleman working behind the desk.

"Excuse me, sir?" Yuri asked politely.

"Mr. Meretskov, how may I help you?" the gentleman responded with a heavy British accent.

"We are looking for our father, Ivan Meretskov. Has he left any messages for us? We haven't seen him all day." Yuri explained.

Suddenly, someone was standing directly behind us.

"Mr. And Miss Meretskov?" I turned abruptly at the familiar voice and froze when I came face to face with Detective Daniels. He moist blue eyes fell over my body in a presumptuous fashion, and I felt myself recoiling. He made me feel as though he wanted to possess me.

"Hello detective," Yuri said coldly, stepping in front of me protectively and extending his hand in an empty gesture. Detective Daniels shook my brother's hands weakly and gestured toward the man standing behind him.

"You remember my partner, Detective Hennig?" I nodded in confirmation, although I had not remembered his name. He had remained quiet for the most part of our last visit. I suddenly wished that Edward were here, as I remembered how he had handled the detectives so forcefully.

"Would you mind accompanying us back to the station? We were looking for your father, but it looks as though he has fled the country. He left early this afternoon on a flight to Moscow." I felt an ice cube slide down my spine and my skin grow cold, as the bile rose again in my throat.

"Why are you looking for our father?" Yuri asked in a calm voice, but I could sense the disruption beneath his calm façade.

"We would like to discuss that with you back at station, actually," Detective Hennig answered in a gruff voice. I was unsure if I had ever heard him speak before.

Yuri nodded, taking my hand as we followed the detectives out to their black car, which was parked illegally on the curb out of the front doors. Once out in the cold night, Yuri helped me slip my arms back into the sleeves of my winter coat as I began to shake violently against the frigid air. I climbed into the back seat of the black car, which reeked of cigarettes and old take out.

We sped down Fifth-Avenue, taking sharp corners and screeching to a stop at traffic lights. I braced myself against the force of the detective's driving and Yuri grabbed my hand and held on tight. After a few minutes we pulled up outside a small police station, and climbed out of the car.

The station itself was somewhat dank and grimy. The loud shouting and sounds of several telephones ringing at once was making my head buzz, as the harsh florescent lighting heightened the reality of the situation. Something really serious was happening. Something had happened to my father, I was certain.

We pushed our way to the back of the building and into a slightly quieter room. The large table in the centre of the room was laden with papers and a bulging file folder. The wood paneled walls were covered with pictures of Detective Daniels with various athletes and politicians. I think I even recognized the mayor of New York in one of the photos. I scoffed inwardly at the cliché. So fucking cheesy.

Detective Daniels offered us each one of the hard metal chairs that surrounded the table and shut the door behind us, blocking out more of the noise.

"Could I offer your some coffee or water?" the detective asked, obviously in his element now that we were in his territory. Free to stare openly at my breasts, apparently. I crossed my arms across my chest and looked down at the table.

"Detective, if you don't mind…we don't want to stick around here for long." Yuri said politely, shifting in the uncomfortable chair. "Why are you looking for our father?" Yuri placed both of his hands flat on the table and looked up at Detective Daniels.

The detective sighed, for the first time looking remorseful and pulled out a chair across from us, sitting down and flipping open the file folder. My stomach dropped as my eyes fell on the photos that were held within the folder. My throat burned and I tried to swallow back the tears that came unbidden to my eyes. I heard Yuri gasp quietly at my side.

No more. I could not see that same scene again. No more!

I felt my physical being protest against my surroundings and I squirmed helplessly in the chair, waiting for the detective to say something.

"Your father is wanted for the murder of two dancers from the Russian core, the murder of Catherine Belyea who was found dead in a similar fashion early this morning, and for the murder of Isabella Meretskov…your mother."

The world around me spun. This could not be real! My mother had died in a car accident…hadn't she? This could not be happening!

Before I could process this information or begin to understand what the detective was trying to tell us, he pulled two photos out of the file folder and lined them up before Yuri and me on the table. Through my tears I could see that the large glossy photo on the left was our flat a few days ago.

No! I couldn't look away! Covered in blood. I couldn't look away! I could see my wooden chest of writing and Yuri's piano dripping with the life force of those two dancers.

My mind was screaming for me to look away, but I could not tear my eyes from the two crime scene photos before me. The vivid red of the photo on the left was making my head spin.

But the photo on the right shocked me to the core. I felt some dark demon entering through my veins and grasping at my lungs – strangling me. The detective stood and poured water from the sink into a paper cup and held it out for me and I suddenly realized that I was hyperventilating. I could not make my hands agree to take the cup of water that the detective was offering me for my eyes were fixed on my nightmare. My nightmare. It was real.

White spots danced before my eyes.

My mother's cold eyes.

Staring.

My teeth began to chatter, banging together with so much force I thought they would shatter.

My mother's twisted body. Blood dripping down the kitchen counter of our house in Russia.

The pressure on my ears was becoming painful. I needed to leave this room. My arms thrashed before me, pushing myself away from the table. I stood, swaying as my feet moved rhythmically toward the door. I felt Yuri following close behind me as I stumbled forward.

I somehow managed to unlatch the door and I staggered into the hallway. The hallway seemed to be tipping back and forth and I had to run my hand along the wall to keep from falling.

"Yeva!" I heard Yuri call from behind me, but I could not stop.

I found a washroom and fell through the door, my brain buzzing and my stomach churning.

I made it to the toilet just in time to regurgitate what little I had eaten that day, bracing myself against the cool ceramic of the seat. I wretched until my stomach muscles protested and tears streamed down my face. When I felt as though I could stand again, I shakily made my way over to the sink. I leaned heavily against the slightly wet counter top, the florescent light flickering inches above me head.

I splashed cold water over my face in an attempt to use physical stimuli to break away from this shocked state. I needed to come up for air. I couldn't understand what was happening!

I felt as though my body was dangling from a floating head and that all of my nerve endings were deadened. I stared blankly at myself in the chipped mirror, but the image before me did not make sense at all. I saw my fathers green eyes, but I had the same lifeless expression as my mother had in the photo I had just seen.

Not a dream.

A memory.

It really happened. My mother had been murdered, drowned in her own blood. And Yuri and I had been there.

The longer I stared at myself in the mirror, the more my vision shifted. It began to seem as though the whole washroom was dipping in blood, pulsing from the walls…like I had been swallowed by some demon. I tried to look away, to break this trance…but I was trapped…sucked in. And I could not control my thoughts.

Had my father killed my mother? Had he killed those other women as well? Had he killed Madame Belyea? And if not, why had he run off? This just seemed so impossible! This was not the man that I knew at all. My father, while cold and standoffish, was no murderer.

He had mourned my mother's death for years with no respite. He had been ruined when she had died. No, no. This didn't make sense!

But why had he left? Why hadn't he stayed to explain this to us? And why had he lied?

My mother, my mother. She had suffered. She had been ripped apart by some monster! Why had our father not told us the truth! He had lied!

Suddenly the washroom was no longer red with dripping blood…but red with burning rage. All of my fear and sorrow suddenly transformed…growing in power. Every ounce of anger I had ever felt toward my father ripped though me in a torrent of fiery fury, and I trembled with energy.

I could see my face again in the mirror. I didn't look like my mother or my father. It was me there, staring back. I glared at myself in the mirror for one final moment before finally backing away.

I walked toward the door with determination and out into the hallway. Yuri was back in the office with the detective. I could not stay to tell him where I was going…he wouldn't understand. He would try and stop me. The detective would try and stop me. But this was something that I had to do. I needed to go.

I walked straight to the exit and no one stopped me…no one told me I had to stay. I pushed through the glass door, leaving the cluttered noise of yelling and telephones and into the cool dark night. I hailed the first cab that I saw and asked the driver to take me to JFK.

I was going to find my father.

Back to Russia.

I was going to confront him.

I needed to know the truth.

END NOTES:

Thank you for reading! Next chapter – EPOV

Pleeeeeease leave me a review!!!!


	15. Twisted Games

**CHAPTER NOTES: Here we are again. I have been such a bad girl for not updating. I hope you have it in your hearts to forgive me. Without further ado, I give you "Twisted Games". Enjoy!**

We hadn't been running very long when I began to feel uncomfortable with our current position. Something felt wrong.

I could no longer see the lights of civilization as we ran at full speed through the forest - tracking the demon that had caused so much pain and destruction. The rhythmic crunching of snow under my feet in the dark night had the hypnotic affect of white noise…leading my mind down a strange path of violent fantasy and dark illusion. Alice and I were a few hours north of the city tracking Victoria's scent. I had completely succumbed to my nature…freeing the monster and allowing my instincts to dominate. I could vividly imagine ripping Victoria limb from limb with no remorse – no hesitation.

It was difficult to determine how old the trail was, as the heavy wet snow diluted and confused the scent. This frantic tangent of pursuit had begun when Alice was hit by a confusing vision of Victoria racing outside of the city in a mad dash. I had been standing with Yuri and Yeva in the main hall of the school when Alice had found me. She had replayed the vision for me in her mind, and the moment she had finished relaying her memory my spirit was alight; I was on fire with determination. We had left Yuri and Yeva behind to pursue the monster…and this time put an end to her malice.

When we reached the point where Alice's vision had taken place we had indeed found a trace of Victoria. But even in that moment the situation had felt odd…something was off.

I should have thought twice about pursuing Alice's findings. I should have stayed at Yeva's side, but it had been so long since we had come across any trace of Victoria and my desire to put an end to this nightmare had outweighed any logical notions. I wanted to stop any danger that the twins might be in. I wanted to cancel any threat that they might feel.

The path before us was winding and weaving as Victoria's scent slowly began to wane. Every once in a while it would reappear again with another strangely familiar scent mixed in but after a while the snow became so wet that the trail was impossible to follow. My unease began to aggravate and my steps slowed as I thought of Yuri and Yeva back in the city. Unprotected.

Alice followed my lead and came to a halt a few feet behind me. I turned and looked into her face questioningly.

"I see nothing. We are not going to find her tonight, Edward," Alice said quietly, although her voice carried through the frozen air.

I stood there for a moment in fluctuation…utterly torn between the desire to find Victoria and the need to be by Yeva's side…to hold her in my arms and keep her safe. The thought of her full lips and the gentle swell of her breast…the ivory of her skin…made my heart swell with longing. I needed to get back to her.

However we had not gone three steps when we were accosted by a chaotic vision - stopping us cold in our tracks. The vision hit hard, but did not follow a clear path as her visions usually did. The vision was frenzied and warped. I felt like the breath had been pressed from my lung as green eyes flashed before me. Dark shadows of images, obscured by uncertainty.

At once I thought perhaps the image was unclear due to Yuri and Yeva's talents…their private minds. Another image came into light…Yeva boarding a plane…speaking in Russian. Crying. More shadows danced across Alice's mind as her face went completely blank and she gasped in horror. Yuri screaming in agony, grasping and clawing in the dirt. Victoria's exultant smile…mixed with some other unreadable emotion. Happiness? Love? A dark old house deep in the woods.

Then black.

Nothing.

Alice's blank expression was replaced with hysteria. We stared at each other for a moment of sheer alarm, processing what we had just seen.

The twins. We needed to get back to them immediately! My heart surged with terror as we began to race in the direction from which we had come, fear coursing through my frozen veins.

Before we had reached the city limits, my phone began to vibrate in my pocket - calling me back from the edge of panic. I reached deftly for my phone and flipped it open without hesitation as another vision reeled through Alice's mind of Yuri's panicked face…standing alone in a busy, florescent-lit office. I had no idea where he might be and the thought made me feel more than a little off kilter. And where was Yeva?

"Yuri." My own voice sounded calm in my ears and strangely quiet, yet alarm bells were ringing in my head.

"Has Yeva contacted you? She's missing!" Yuri sounded enraged and I could hear him shuffling and breathing deeply on the other end of the line.

"Yuri, where are you?" I tried to stay calm, not to yell…not to lose control. I hadn't realized that I was running again, following blindly behind Alice to the edge of the forest, ice cracking beneath my wet shoes and snow dusting my shoulders. Within a few minutes we would reach the city limits and I might regain one ounce of the control that I had lost…given up stupidly.

"I am at some fucking police station. That detective…detective Daniels or whatever the hell his name is brought us here. That fuck-wit prick tells us straight out that he thinks our father killed our mother and that there is a warrant for his arrest. He showed us some fucked up pictures without any warning. I would have told Yeva to look away," Yuri choked on a sob and I could feel his hysteria setting in. "I feel like if I don't get out of here now I am going to kill him. Yeva was so upset and went to the bathroom…she must have taken off and she is not answering her phone. I should have gone in after her! I am starting to lose it!" Toward the end Yuri's words began to run together. I felt myself approaching boiling point and my teeth ground together as I stifled a growl.

"Stay where you are Yuri. Stay right where you are…I cannot begin to explain why, but please stay where you are." I said, as the city lights began to come into view. Soon Alice and I would have to stop running when we came into civilization and the thought terrified me. I had to get to Yuri before Victoria did and I needed the speed. I had to find Yeva…oh God; I needed to find her fast!

"I think I know where she is. But the thought makes me sick. Detective Daniels said that my dad bought a ticket to Moscow and left this afternoon." _Shit_. "I think Yeva might have gone after him, Edward. I think she went home to Russia! I am going after her!"

I felt the chill slide down my back and my throat close with terror as I realized that

Alice's vision was quickly coming to fruition.

Another thought suddenly occurred to me. I knew Ivan's mind, and yesterday his thoughts had been of his children alone. He had known that he might be arrested, but he truly believed it could be worked out. His mind had been set entirely on protecting his children from the unknown terror that he was certain was stalking them.

There was no part of me that believed Ivan had fled. There was simply no way! He wouldn't have left his children.

My stomach dropped as I realized that it was most likely Victoria that purchased that ticket. This was all a game…a set up that we had walked straight into.

Alice let out a low moan from in front of me but her mind was shut to me. I felt the panic, its energy spilling from my mouth and fingertips.

Small details began to filter through my consciousness: The twin's apartment, Victoria's strange absence of late. She had been trying to frame Ivan. She had led Alice and I astray, full knowing that Ivan was about to be arrested and we stupidly fell right into her trap. The twins were in grave danger!

"Yuri no! Stay where you are! We will be right there!"

"I am going to the fucking airport. You can meet me there or not." He hung up abruptly and I swore as I replaced the phone to my pocket.

"We will have to get a cab now, Edward. We will be seen otherwise. There - up the street." Alice quickly turned and dashed through some houses onto the near empty street.

We slowed our run as a taxi came into view just a few blocks away. We hailed the taxi and climbed in, asking the driver to get us to J.F.K. as quickly as possible as I handed him a wad of cash. He nodded as we took off quickly down the street.

When we arrived to J.F.K., Alice and I ran through the busy terminal at a speed that was barely human, weaving in between the foolish tourists and angry business men - our senses honed and searching.

Yuri.

Relief flooded my system when his emerald eyes came into view a few meters ahead of us. He stood looking panicked and zoned out. He raked his fingers though his hair in frustration as he paced back and forth in front of the departure screen.

He looked up and saw us approaching and something akin to relief flashed in his eyes. I knew in that moment that, like his mother, he had bestowed his trust in Alice and me. Ever trusting. Ever insightful. Bella's children were the strangest mystery I had ever encountered. Yuri turned again to glance up at the flight board and I followed his gaze, and immediately understood his trepidation.

As I scanned through the departures leaving for various cities around the globe, my darkest fear was realized. The flight to Moscow had left 20 minutes ago.

"She was on that flight. I have already discussed it with the attendants at the flight counter. I am booked on the next flight to Krakow, which transfers to Saint Petersburg. I don't know what else to do! Damnit!" A young family blanched at Yuri's outburst as they quickly passed, but the usually respectful Yuri seemed not to notice.

"We are coming with you!" Alice piped in before I could utter a word and she slipped forward, wrapping her arms around Yuri's waist. He hugged her back fiercely as he stared at me in shock.

"What? Are you crazy?" Yuri looked surprised. "You are going to fuck up your semester at school to fly half way around the world to help me find my sister? You don't even know what the hell is going on!" Yuri stopped for a moment and seemed to consider his words.

Suddenly a look of understanding came to his face. "Or do you?" He searched my face and I felt as though he was looking right through to my soul. He stared in silence and time seemed to come to a halt.

"I think I understand what Yeva meant about you, Edward. There is something different about you. To be honest, I thought she was just being Yeva…looking too deeply into things…but here you are…here you are." His voice dropped off toward the end. Another chill ran down my spine and I could not stop the memory of Emmett's words from running though my mind. Yuri and Yeva would make scary powerful vampires. I tried to suppress that thought, but as I looked into Yuri's eyes, I could suddenly imagine them a deep blood red. I shuddered.

"We are coming," I said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. Yuri barked with mirthless laughter.

"You love her." Yuri said firmly, grinning like a Cheshire cat. It was not a question.

"Come on, Edward. We need to go and get our tickets," Alice said anxiously, pulling me toward the ticket counter.

My mind was thick with worry and I could not help but surmise that this situation was completely out of my control. All I could do was pray to a God that I was not sure I believed in…and who certainly did not believe in me.

A few hours later, we were in the air. Yuri sat by the window, sleeping fitfully. Alice sat between us and watched Yuri carefully, every once in a while pulling the blanket up around Yuri's chin and smoothing his hair like a child.

Alice and I didn't speak, but flickers of visions would intermittently interrupt our minds. The images were never concrete and always fleeting…like subliminal messages. Flashes of recondite pictures…snapshots in time. Wooden floors. Deep woods. Rain. Flames. Blood. Yuri's inhuman wail as his finger nails scratched in the dirt. One startling image of Yeva and I in the throws of passion…this one filled me with equal parts despair, relief and excitement. Alice cleared her throat next to me.

I shook my head in frustration as the worry built inside of me, grinding against my thoughts, pulling me down. More visions - fields flying by, Yuri sleeping in the back of a car. Alice screaming.

I felt an intense urge to take over the plane, to fly it faster to our destination. To take control of one thing in my life. I felt so helpless sitting here in the first class seat while Yeva was left unprotected - stalked by a malicious, violent demon.

By the time that Alice's visions ceased, my mind was so fluid that it no longer needed her aid. I could invent each worst case scenario in fervent colour and detail.

Images of my own imagining began to flow through my mind. Yeva's lifeless eyes, staring into the vast eternity. The fissure gaping on all sides. I felt my insides go cold and I shivered violently in my seat. Alice placed a calming hand on my shoulder, reminding me that I was not alone.

"Nothing is written. We will get to her in time. Everything is going to be all right, Edward," she said calmly and articulately. I let out a deep sigh and leaned my head back, closing my eyes against the dim light of the cabin. As uncomfortable as it was I tried to hold my breath to avoid the burning in my throat of being in such close proximity with so many humans. Especially Yuri. It had been too long since I had hunted and I was really beginning to feel it.

We landed in Krakow, Poland and spent a restless hour wandering around the airport before we boarded the flight to Saint Petersburg. On the short flight to Russia, Alice pretended to sleep while Yuri chatted in rapid Polish to a beautiful woman across the isle. The woman was imagining different ways to get Yuri into bed, introducing him to her parents, the jealous expressions on the faces of her girlfriends when she brought Yuri around. Although Yuri's mind was silent, he looked restless and fidgety - as anxious to reach our destination as I.

I did the math in my head and came to the conclusion that Yeva must be almost to Saint Petersburg. Yuri thought she would probably make her way to their family home just outside of the city, which was still in their father's ownership, although it had been vacant for years - maintained by a sparse staff.

When the plane landed in Saint Petersburg, I went to rent a car with Yuri while Alice pulled out her phone to call the family – to let them know what was going on. We rented the fasted car available to us and took off with Yuri's direction, to the Meretskov family home. Yuri told us that the old mansion had been in the Meretskov family for generations only to be lost in the 1920s and reclaimed again by Ivan's father after Ivan's birth. Ivan had grown up in the house, as had Yuri and Yeva…until they had moved into the flat in the city. I asked if she might have gone to the flat, but Yuri was certain that she would go to the house in the country. That is likely where Ivan would be found. If he was still alive, which I thought was doubtful.

Alice pushed the car (of questionable make) to maximum capacity as we tore down the highway and out of the city. It had been a long time since I had visited Russia and I was once again dazzled by the beautiful countryside. Yuri dozed in the back seat on and off and my mind drifted from worry to panic to anger.

I had to tell Yeva the truth. I just didn't know if I was able…I didn't want to hurt her in any way. But I owed her the truth. I knew that I could not ever turn away from her…I knew that our destinies were intertwined and I existed solely for Yeva.

I stared out the passenger window at passing fields and forest, when suddenly I caught a glimpse of something that caused me to tense.

By the side of the road, a few yards ahead - a flash of red hair heading into the wood in the opposite direction.

Victoria.

Without thinking of Yuri for a moment, Alice slammed on the breaks, Yuri gasped against the seat belt as the car screeched on the pavement. Without giving any thought to Yuri's reaction I jumped out of the car before Alice had even slowed to 75 miles/hour. The fresh air jolted my nerves as I shot through the woods, propelling myself after Victoria in an all too familiar chase.

The Russian forest was much darker than I had remembered, dripping with moisture and magic. As I tore after Victoria, I could hear her laughing manically ahead of me just out of my reach - taunting me.

"You will never figure it out, will you Edward. You can't reach me. I will always be a fingers breadth away from you. I will slip away silently. Leaving behind mass destruction!" Her voice came to me through the trees, sounding eerie and surreal. I had never been this close to her, not since the first day I laid eyes on her. She was literally a few yards ahead of me. I was running faster than I had ever run before and she was taunting me.

She wasn't afraid. She was encouraging my rage with the confidence of someone that knew they would escape.

I felt the growl of frustration rip through my chest and I felt myself push a little harder, ricocheting off the trees, throwing myself in front of her. She weaved and oscillated herself on a pin, slipping between my arms, changing speed at an impossible velocity. I was becoming desperate. This was my chance! To put an end to all of this! I had to kill her….for Yeva. For Bella.

Victoria's laugh rang out again, tormenting me.

"I am honestly surprised that you are wasting your time chasing me when poor little Yeva is suffering so!" Her voice came shrill, drilling into my nerves, as I tried to understand their intent. I probed Victoria's mind for any clue as to where Yeva was but all I could see were flashes of images. Yeva's eyes, searching. A dark house.

"Where is Yeva?" I growled…my voice sounded foreign and dangerous. "What have you done? Why are you doing this?"

At my words she came to an abrupt halt about half a mile in front of me. I stopped as well, certain by this point that I would not catch her and could only rely on her mind for information about where Yeva was. The canopy of trees dipped down in between us and although I couldn't see Victoria anymore I knew exactly where she was.

"I am surprised you of all people cannot understand why I am doing this. When your true love died, you felt pain. You wanted revenge. But then you felt new love. New love, Edward." I could tell that she was trying to conceal her thoughts from me, but her mind betrayed her and I caught a glimpse of something that I had not expected. I flash of green eyes that upset my insides in a way that I had not felt since I was human. Yuri?

"If you lay one finger on him…" I was shaking with rage.

"Yeva is where she should be." Her voice was cold and unwavering. I made one final bold jump….one desperate attempt to clamp her down and end her treachery forever. But she was gone. I stood shocked, searching the trees as she made her escape. I moved to follow when I heard a crashing in the branches behind me.

"Edward!" I heard Alice's terrified call from somewhere behind me. She pushed through the trees, her eyes full of fear. "Edward! What happened? Are you okay?" She ran forcefully into my arms knocking me backward slightly.

"I lost her. She is gone," I head myself say, but the meaning was lost to me. Was she after Yuri? Was that the reasoning behind all of this? She wanted Yuri for her mate? No! I needed to get Yuri back to the house, where I was certain that I would find Yeva. We needed to get to the house.

"We need to go. Now." I said moving quickly back toward the car. "Have you had any more visions?"

"No…my sight is completely gone again…I think because the twins are close together… so we must be close." Alice still sounded panicked and her eyes flitted through the trees in search of danger. She seemed surprised and I couldn't place it. "But why did you call me? I thought you were in trouble!" What?

"I didn't call you at all Alice.

"Yes you did! You screamed for me to help you! I ran after you as quickly as possible when I should have stayed with Yuri! He was so shocked when you jumped out of the car like that and ran into the woods at such a speed…I didn't have time to explain anything to him!"

"Alice! I didn't call you!" I said loudly. Alice stared up at me confused.

A surge of panic rocked me to the core as a look of horror overtook Alice's face. We tore as fast as lightening through the bracken racing against our dread, racing against what we knew to have already come to pass.

Yuri.

I began to shake violently as we came to the car parked on the side of the road.

"Edward! Oh my God I am so sorry!" Alice sobbed breathlessly, her eyes darting through the trees – desperately searching for a flashing of emerald among the dull dark forest. Her arms flailed uselessly at her side.

I stood reeling, teetering on the edge of chaos. My eyes wide with shock as Victoria's words rang through my mind. She had baited me. She had led me through the forest. Someone had called Alice pretending to be me, taking advantage of the fact that Alice could not see and taken Yuri from us. Suddenly I remembered the familiar scent that we had smelled while tracking Victoria outside of New York. Laurent…that familiar smell was Laurent. I was gasping for unnecessary breath as I sunk to my knees. Laurent had called Alice away from Yuri. Was impersonation Laurent's gift?

Who knew what would happen to Yuri. He may be dead by now. I had failed him! Then I remember Alice's vision…Yuri howling in pain, clawing at the dirt. The look on Victoria's face…her poorly concealed thoughts only moments ago. A howl ripped through the silence…and unearthly cry of anger and frustration. It took me a moment to realize that it had come from my own soul.

Alice took off into the forest in search of Yuri.

"Go find Yeva!" she yelled behind her as she disappeared into the leaves. I knelt in the dirt by the side of the road for a moment's hesitation. The image of Yeva and wooden floors flashed through my mind again and I dashed toward the car, my mind vibrating with urgency. I flung the car door open, almost taking it off its hinges and jammed the keys back into the ignition. The engine protested against the speed I pushed the little rental car to as it whipped and winded along the highway through the dense forest.

After about 20 minutes if driving I pulled up in front of a huge old mansion. It looked hundreds of years old and haunted by history and ghosts of the past. It was nestled into the forest with the peaks and slopes of the traditional Russian home. Stone and intricately carved wood, impressive in its stately manner.

As I stepped from the car, reality shifted into slow motion. As I stood looking up at the dark dusty windows, the crisp winter air ruffling my hair, I could smell traces of freesia and jasmine. And within the walls of the enormous old house, I could hear a single heartbeat.

Yeva.

Relief flooded the empty caverns of my heart as my urgency abated. Without another moment's hesitation I ran up the front porch and crashed through the front door.

The momentum of the door crashed into a stained glass window that ran along the inner wall, and shards of brightly coloured glass shattered on the floor. I heard a stifled scream from somewhere within the house and I ran toward it. I came into a familiar kitchen. A kitchen that I had seen in police photographs and in the memory of Ivan Meretskov. The tile floor had been wiped of any trace of Bella's blood. My Bella. This is where she had taken her last breath.

A sob forced its way up through my chest but was held back by my will. The old wooden counters were bare but for some china dishes and candles. The lights were off and the sun had set in the east, leaving the kitchen shrouded in darkness. By the large window that faced the forest, stood Yeva. Tears streamed down her face and she stood in her slender jeans and her black sweater holding a knife up in warning. She shivered as her bare feet held strong against the cold floors and she took a step backward - her heart racing.

"Yeva, my love. Are you all right?" I half whispered as I took a small step toward her, not wishing to startle her.

She did not relinquish the knife. Her hair billowed around her in the darkness and I could see that her eyes were clear…and filled with so much pain and anger that it struck my soul with helplessness. She looked half mad as she stood there in silence. I took another step toward her and she moved simultaneously backward.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

I stood in silence, shocked - looking into her face for some clue, some glimmer of light or acceptance. Instead, all I saw was my own expressionless face, half covered in shadow.

I took another hesitant step toward, suddenly feeling that if I could only hold her in my arms the nightmare would end. Tears streamed down her cheeks and little wisps of her chaotic mane clung to the drops of moisture. Her brows raised in desperation as she raised the knife in a threatening stance.

Was she afraid of me? My heart broke into a thousand pieces and I too felt like weeping.

"Yeva, I…"

"WHO ARE YOU?" She howled in misery. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. "Tell me what are! Tell me who you are NOW!" She took several more steps backward as her back hit the counter top. The very countertop where Bella had prepared the evening meals. The kitchen where Bella had sung to them softly. Where Bella had screamed my name in agony. I was drowning in sorrow.

"Yeva…I'm….I'm…" I stood perfectly still, in the middle of the dark kitchen, trying to find a softer truth, a truth to comfort her in this fragile state.

Her eyes finally met mine and I saw a flicker of recognition. She knew me. She must know me!

"I'm…." The tension in the room began to ebb and flow in rhythm with Yeva's pulsing heart. "I'm….I'm Edward."

Yeva's face crumpled as the knife clattered on the old tile floor and she fell forward into my arms, allowing her weight to fall into me. Her body shook with sobs and I held her tightly to me, stroking her long silky hair with my fingers. She gulped for air, choking on her tears and after a moment I swept her into my arms and carried her up the dusty wooden stairs to one of the bedrooms on the second floor.

All of the furniture remained covered with white sheets and I suddenly felt as though the room was filled with ghosts as I placed my ghostly angel on a large cast iron bed. The pale light of the moon slipped between the grimy and windowpanes onto the neglected hardwood floors. The air smelled of dust and tears and Yeva wrapped her tiny arms around my waist as I rested next to her on one of the sheets.

"I trust you….I trust you," Yeva murmured quietly in the darkness.

"I promise you, my love, my life…I will always protect you. Nothing will ever hurt you. Sleep now, beautiful little girl. Sleep. I will be here when you wake."

"Stay." she whispered as she exhaled a shaky sigh. The moon made her pale skin shimmer in the dark room and her hair tumbled though my fingers and I was once again deeply moved by her eerie beauty. Like an elfish queen, ethereal and magical. I took my own full breaths to calm my mind, as Yeva's breathing became regular and deep. White noise in this peaceful house in the forest.

**END NOTES: Thank you so much for reviewing and PMing me. It means so much. Wow….so this story is coming closer to a finish….but not before a lot of shit goes down. Let me know what you think!**


	16. Fire

**CHAPTER NOTES: So this chapter my or may not have some lemony goodness. ;-) Go easy on me…it is my first shot at it. Enjoy! Thank you to everyone that has reviewed. They inspire me more than you can imagine.**

Three days went by in a half waking state. I was surrounded by an incredible stillness that fizzled against the roaring chaos of my mind. My brain burned behind my eye sockets and faux fire surged through my veins. I had suffered through many fevers in my life, but this felt like no other. The strangest part was that the pain did not feel real. It felt like an echo…a mirror…a projection – as though it was not my fire, but someone else's. Sympathy fire.

I was partially aware of Edward carrying me up the stairs and into one of the old rooms on the second floor, dimly lit by the late winter moon. He whispered quietly as I lay in his arms, and I half recall responding to his far-away words. His cold skin felt intoxicating against my own burning skin. He held me tight as I drifted in and out of consciousness…never really certain if I was awake or dreaming - walking the thin line between reality and insanity.

I woke often - confused and wondering where I was. It seemed to me that I knew this house…this beautiful man beside me that administered a cold cloth to my burning forehead as I shivered under dusty smelling blankets. This gentle man with kind, golden eyes that looked at me with love. I could see his pure soul.

Other times I would wake up knowing. This was Russia…my childhood home. This was Edward. It was strange to see him here - my two worlds colliding and mutating into some bizarre alternate universe. He was by my side, looking down on me with worry in his eyes, humming beautiful melodies. I wanted to reach out to him, but I was heavy and misery-logged…pressed down by the ocean of fire and despair. Edward would brush the hair from my face and bid me drink cold water. This water tasted like Russia. Like the spring mornings of childhood, running through the forest with Yuri…our father chasing us, growling and threatening to gobble us up if he could catch us. I could almost hear Yuri's shrill laughter and feel the damp earth beneath my toes.

In those moments of obscured clarity, I wondered how I came to be in Russia. I racked my brain only to come up with flashes of memory…_an airplane…a car ride…a photograph…a horrible police station…standing in the kitchen where my mother had been murdered..._ How many times had I stood in that kitchen, unknowing - unaware of the horrible things that had taken place there? I was filled with fear and panic. My mother, oh my mother.

Tonight I had stood in that kitchen with my horrific, newfound knowledge. Then Edward appeared - standing in front of me. It seemed strange during that moment that he would be here, although I was not entirely surprised. As I had stood there looking over at him, images of those vile police photos came to my mind coupled with visions of my mother cooking and humming. The images came to me unbidden…unstoppable. I could not shut my mind to them as they began to grow more dark and vivid…so very clear. _My mother's mutilated corpse. Blood pooling on the tiles in front of my feet. _How had my mind acted so completely of its own volition? I had never felt less in control and was blinded by my misery. It was as though the images were not my own. Edward had looked so far away…an unfamiliar expression on his face as he had stood opposite me. What was he doing there? Why was he in Russia?

Something was very wrong.

As I lay half dreaming, half waking, time began to fly. I tried to force my mind to remember how I came to be here…what had happened to me…but moments of lucidity were fleeting and esoteric. I could never put the pieces together and moments later I would slide to another reality. Every time my mind would come close to the truth it would shut itself down, propelling me back into darkness and fire.

I could not admit to myself that I had come here looking for my father. If I looked deep inside of myself, I knew he was dead. That red headed woman had killed him - I knew somehow. How long before she found me?

And what of Yuri? My thoughts of him were transitory…translucent. He seemed to be clear in my mind, but otherworldly. I didn't feel like he was dead, but I felt like he was no longer a part of my reality. This thought made me so sad that it would overpower the ersatz fire behind my eyes. I choked on ashes as I delved deeply into my subconscious, hiding among the blackness.

In the middle of my third fevered night, I awoke frenzied with terror, screaming Yuri's name. Edward's arms grasped me and pulled me to his chest, humming and stroking my hair lovingly, rescuing me from my nightmare. Nothing felt so right as his gentle fingers through my hair in the darkness, his strong arms holding me close as I sobbed into his sweater. The only time I ever felt safe from the world was in his arms. He would protect me - hide me from monsters.

I couldn't make myself believe that he was only a man - weakness and flesh. I couldn't imagine that he too might die - that I might wake up tomorrow morning with him gone. Too warm in the bed. All alone against the world. Silent without his quiet breath or his melancholy humming. I sobbed harder at such a thought and his solid arms tightened around me, causing me to feel breathless.

"Yeva, shhh shhh shh. I am here. You are safe. Everything is going to be all right," he whispered into my ear, wet from tears. His breath on my wet skin sent shivers down my spine as Edward pulled the blanket snugly around my chin, rubbing my back for friction. I felt my body begin to cool. My fever had broken and my mind was clear again, but my body felt like lead. Edward rocked me to and fro and after a few moments my thoughts began to slow and I drifted into my first real sleep in three days. I was running down the dock, the smell of hot wood and sun block, trees and crystal clear water. Yuri was holding my hand and we were laughing. He smiled at me as we jumped in unison off the dock and into the frigid water. And I was consumed by a black dreamless sleep.

I don't know how long I slept.It must have been a long time for Edward tried to wake me, gently nudging me back into the waking world.

"Yeva. Sleeping girl. Time to wake," he whispered.

The daylight hurt my eyes even though they remained closed. I was so comfortable and warm although my body felt stiff and rigid. I did not want to come back yet. It was blissful here in this dreamless world.

"Yeva, you need to eat something. You have been sleeping too long." Edward sounded stern this time. I slowly became aware of my surrounding. My hot feet. The itchy blanket. My growling stomach. I began to feel agitated.

"Piss off." I mumbled as I turned my tired body onto my side, pulling the pillow over my head in protest. Edward snorted and ripped the covers from my body.

"Hey! What the hell?" I yelled – muffled by the pillow.

"Well, it certainly sounds as though you are feeling better," he laughed, further infuriating me. "Come now Yeva, you must eat something," Edward said, sounding amused and maybe a little relieved. I suddenly wondered when the last time I had eaten was. I couldn't recall whether I had something on the plane or not.

I removed the pillow from my head, exposing myself to the grey morning light. I looked around and realized that I was in one of the old guest bedrooms on the second floor of our old home. Edward stood at the foot of the old bed holding the blanket. It was a teeny tiny room and mostly bare but for the bed that I was propped up on and an old antique dresser that used to belong to my grandmother. My breath caught a little as I looked around. I had missed these high, ornate ceilings and large pane-glass windows. Beyond the window – forest. Deep and dark. It had been years since I had been here and my heart swelled with joy.

"While you were sleeping I called the staff. They brought a crate of food for us, as well as some toiletries. Alice had the foresight to pick you up some clothes in the airport." He dropped the blanket and reached around behind him for a small duffle bag, placing it next to me on the bed. "We thought it was likely that you had come unprepared. Anyway, sit up," he directed as he took a large silver tray from the little dresser and placed it on the mattress in front of me. There was a steaming bowl of tomato soup and a large piece of crusty bread with some cheese and a mug of tea. I was suddenly intoxicated with the thought of food and spooned the steaming hot soup into my mouth, burning my tongue.

Heaven. I groaned quietly as the lovely flavours unfurled in my mouth.

Edward chuckled quietly as he sat down on the end of the bed.

"You are feeling better then?" he questioned, searching my face for traces of illness. He looked so worried behind his smile – his eyes soft with love.

"I am sorry to have worried you," I half whispered, lifting the mug of tea to my lips. He didn't say anything. He only reached across and brushed a piece of my hair behind my ear. It suddenly felt so amazing to me that Edward was here in Russia with me. Like a wonderful dream!

"What are you even doing here? And where is Alice?" I asked, suddenly realizing that she was not here. "And did you tell Yuri that you were coming here? Does he know where I am?" Edward's eyes darkened and he quickly looked away. I had not been expecting that reaction from him. Suddenly everything seemed off and my stomach plummeted once again. My body was now rejecting the idea of food and a put the spoon back down on the tray. Something was very wrong.

"Yeva," he sighed, placing his face in his hands, running his fingers forcefully through his thick bronze hair. A moment later he looked up and reached out, taking both of my hands in his.

"There is so much that I have to say to you. Alice is here, and yes Yuri knows where you are. I just don't know how to put this all in words," His face looked so clouded and strange, I began to feel very afraid. Where was my brother? Why was Edward here and not Yuri? Yuri never left me alone. Ever. I was fully expecting to see Yuri's furious face any moment, yelling at me for leaving without telling him where I was going – for scaring the hell out of him. I suddenly felt terribly guilty for my actions. I didn't know what I had been thinking, coming here by myself. And now Edward was missing school…_again. _Because of me. I suddenly felt the need to explain myself. I wondered how much Edward already knew.

"I came here to find my father. The police are trying to say that he killed our mother. I thought he might have come to this old house…our family home. He has often said that this is the only place he ever considered home." I looked down at my hands. They looked so tiny in Edward's large hands. His index finger stroked my knuckles softly and I began to feel the fear abate.

"I know," was all that Edward said. I looked up surprised. But of course he knew. He always knew everything. He understood everything before I did. It was suspicious, to say the least.

"Do your secrets have a lot to do with me, Edward?" I suddenly asked, feeling brave. Feeling entitled. If his secrets involved me I needed to know.

"Yes," he relied simply. I didn't dare look at his face, lest I find the truth there…suddenly fearing the truth. I wasn't sure I was ready yet.

"I think my father is dead," I whispered.

"I don't know," Edward whispered back.

"I think there is someone following me. A woman."

"Yes," Edward spoke aloud, reaching over and pulling me onto his lap. His words seemed to elucidate my fears and I shivered violently. He knew. He had likely known all along. Since that day in the coffee shop. I wound my arms around his torso and pulled myself closer to him as he buried his face in my hair. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"We don't have to talk about this now, love. You have been through so much."

I nodded as he rocked me in his arms for a few more minutes. I was safe with Edward.

But what about Yuri? Was he safe?

By the time I had finished eating my lunch, I was feeling a little restless. Edward had stepped out for a short walk, so I decided to have a look around the old house…allow my memory to wander.

I carried my lunch dishes down the dark wooden stairs and into the kitchen, placing them in the deep porcelain sink. The midmorning light washed away the nightmares of last night and as I looked around the comforting and familiar kitchen. I thought of how different it looked now, in the light of day. Innocuous and warm…like my fond memories. The house was very dusty and most of the furniture was still covered in white sheets. I did notice that Edward had swept up the broken glass in the front hall, but I had the overwhelming desire to clean this place from top to bottom and once the idea was in my head I could not shake it.

I began by ripping all of the sheets from the furniture, folding them and placing them neatly in the cellar storeroom for our next extended leave of absence. I did not anticipate that would happen anytime soon. I could not imagine going back to New York. It felt right here.

I was half way through dusting and scrubbing the grand foyer floor when Edward came in the door. His eyes were a bright golden colour and the pallor of his skin was almost pinkish. He didn't say anything but took up his own rag and began dusting the higher places that I could not reach.

"It would appear to the naked eye that you are settling in," he said, breaking the silence. He tried to appear nonchalant but I knew that he was feeling me out.

"You could say that," I responded noncommittally. I was afraid to admit to him my desire to stay in Russia. I knew he would never agree to stay with me and the thought of losing him burned my stomach.

"So we are staying in Russia then," he looked over his shoulder at me smiling.

_What?_ I looked up, confused.

"What do you mean 'we'?" I questioned cautiously. Was he seriously suggesting that he would give up his entire life in New York just to stay here with me, if that is what I decided? His eyes darkened slightly and he looked angry.

"I told you Yeva. I will never leave you unless you ask me to. If you want me to move here with you, I will without a second thought. Unless you don't want me to, and well…that is a different story all together," he said turning back to his dusting. His voice sounded strange.

"What? No! Of course I want you with me! I just had no idea that moving to Russia was an option for you! I don't want you to give up your whole life just for me! It is enough that you have missed so much school already because of me, and I am so thankful that you have been by my side, because I…I honestly don't know how I would have managed. But God, Edward. How could I ask you that? To move here…" I said with a shaky voice.

Edward's shoulders stiffened. He dropped his rag and turned, closing the distance between us, placing his hands on either side of my face - bringing his face inches from mine - our lips almost touching.

"Yeva, you are my life now. Anywhere you go, I will be there," he whispered before pressing his lips gently to mine. As our lips touched, my anxiety began to slowly melt away and I sighed deeply into his mouth. His kiss made me believe his words. Edward was mine, and I was his. Forever. Through all of the pain, all the worry and fear…I felt something akin to happiness in that moment.

After we completed cleaning the main floor - the kitchen, study, foyer, reception room, and the dining hall - we moved up to the third floor where my old bedroom was. As I walked down the creaky narrow hallway to my room, I felt as though I was a child again. The room was much as it had been 10 years ago. The walls were a pale dove-grey with a hint of lavender. There were a few pieces of antique cherry-wood furniture and a very large pane glass window in the centre of the sloped ceilings, with a view of the forest. Edward laughed when he saw the two twin beds and we promptly pushed them together to better suit our needs. Edward declared that he would bring up a queen bed from one of the guest bedrooms tomorrow, and I nodded.

The hardwood floors were cold beneath our feet so Edward set about lighting a fire in the large stone hearth in the corner of the bedroom. Then we set to work cleaning. Edward vacuumed the large Turkish carpet and washed the floors while I brought up freshly washed linens and the best down comforters from the laundry room, carefully making up the beds/bed.

When the room was sparkling and cozy from the firelight, smelling of pine and cotton, the sun was just setting beyond the forest. Edward suggested I take a bath to unwind while he made us dinner. I jumped at the opportunity…I was feeling gross and I was excited to put on some comfortable pyjamas and brush my teeth. So I made my way into the large bathroom down the hall, turning on the soft hall lamp as I went. I filled the large claw-foot bathtub with steaming hot water and poured in a generous amount of lavender bubble bath that the cleaning staff had brought for us. After brushing my teeth, I lit some candles and after a few minutes I stepped in to the steaming hot bath.

My knees bobbed on top of the water. The lavender bubble bath had long since dissolved and the water had begun to cool. I was trying to psyche myself up to getting out of the bath tub, but I felt so relaxed and I was dreading the chill of the tile floor.

After much internal debate I finally pulled myself up and reached to the small brass table next to the bathtub for one of the fluffy white bath towels. As I stepped out of the tub, the soapy water cascaded down my hair and onto the floor - leaving a large puddle. I wrapped the towel around my slippery body and tried to wring some of the excess water from my hair into the tub. The candles that surrounded me flickered as I moved in the dark bathroom, creating eerie shadows and dark corners.

As I was reaching for a second towel to wrap around my hair, my toes slipped through the puddle of water, sending my feet flying. I flailed, attempting to grab onto the side of the tub to stop myself from falling, but to no avail.

I fell hard on my backside, cracking my head against the side of the basin and knocking over the glass bottle of bath soap, which shattered on the floor around me. I grasped the back of my throbbing head as I tried to catch my breath. Fuck that hurt.

"Yeva!" Edward yelled from outside the bathroom door.

"Yeah," I responded, rubbing the back of my head.

"Are you okay?"

"I am okay. I just bumped my head. I will be out in a minute," I looked at the shattered glass all around me and wondered how I was to avoid cutting myself open trying to get out of here. "I broke some glass," I called out sheepishly.

"Yeva, I am coming in, okay?" Shit.

"…Okay," I replied after a moment just as Edward opened the door to the bathroom, the warm lamplight and the heat from the hearth down the hall flooding in. I was still quite snugly wrapped in my towel, but I noticed the top of my nipple was revealed and I tried to shake my hair over my chest to covered it. Edward switched on the light and walked carefully toward me, his shoes crunching in the soapy broken glass. I did not look up at him.

He stepped around the puddle of lavender bath soap and swiftly hooked his arms under my knees and behind my back, pulling me up easily…like I weighed nothing. I finally looked up into his eyes and found him looking at me with an unreadable look on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked again.

"I am now, thank you. Although, I am certain to have a bump on the back of my head tomorrow. I really should be more careful," I replied sheepishly as Edward carried me away from the broken glass and into the hallway where he set me down.

Just as my feet touched the floor, the towel that had been snugly wrapped around my naked body caught on Edward's jeans – loosening and pulling away from my body. Before I could grab it, the towel slipped from under my arms and fell to our feet. Edward froze before me – staring.

His eyes fluttering like he wanted to look away but was unable.

We just stood staring at each other. I was afraid to move, lest the spell be broken. His golden eyes darkened and looked unearthly in the soft lamplight. He looked dangerous. The way he looked at me sent shivers through my whole body.

Slowly, hesitantly, he raised his hand and using two fingers gently touched the soft damp skin behind my ear - ghosting his fingers down to my collarbone and continuing to just above my breast where he lingered.

We had instinctively moved closer to each other and his beautiful lips were but a few inches from mine.

Without thinking - without considering anything that we had discussed, I closed the distance between us - pressing my lips onto his. His lips were hard and cool against my own soft lips and they tasted heavenly…like honey and spring. I hummed quietly to myself, feeling light headed at the contact. Edward was still at first, but after a moment his lips began to move against mine.

My breath was coming faster and faster. I was standing naked in the arms of this beautiful man and we were kissing, our bodies pushed together! Our rate of breathing began to accelerate simultaneously, thrilling me and striking me with desperation.

I needed this – to be with him, finally. I felt the hard fabric of his jeans against my inner thigh and pressed firmly against him. He moaned quietly, swiftly wrapping his arms around my lower back and pulling my naked body up against him, my feet dangling inches from the ground. Our kiss deepened and my arms wrapped around his neck – his soft hair tickling the inner crook of my elbow. I felt as though my body was on fire and I felt pressure building deep within my belly. One of Edward's hands slid lower over the small of my back until he was cupping my naked ass and I gasped with pleasure as he pushed my body against his. Edward moaned again and suddenly there was a whirring of air around us and I was pinned under him on the bed. How had we come to be in the bedroom so quickly?

We began to kiss frantically. I tugged at the bottom of Edward's sweater, pulling it up around his ribcage and after a moment he began to assist me – bringing the sweater up and over his head until the cool skin of his torso was pressing against my own damp skin.

Our kissing became frenzied and I let my hands glide across the broad width of Edward's shoulders as he pushed me into the mattress. Edward's breathing was coming in ragged gasps as his lips began to work their way down my neck, licking me behind my ear. He palmed my bare breast and the unfamiliar sensation sent shock waves to my core and I cried out.

"Did I hurt you?" Edward gasped, quickly moving his hand away.

"No! No!" I cried arching my back to renew the contact.

"Yeva, Yeva…"he whispered kissing down my neck and across my collar bone. "There is so much…this is wrong…the truth…" he muttered and I sensed his inner turmoil, but it seemed as though he could not stop himself. I knew that I would not stop this.

"Nothing. There is nothing, Edward. Touch me," I begged.

"Yeva. Yeva. There….nothing…there is nothing I want more," he muttered as his cold tongue found my hard nipple. I moaned quietly, as he took both of my wrists in his one hands and held them above my head, rendering me helpless. "I want to taste you all over," he whispered. I felt the moisture pooling between my legs. He shifted some of his weight on top of me and I felt him – hard against my inner thigh.

"Edward, please. Please," I rasped as I tried to free my hands, so to remove his jeans. I wanted to feel him between my legs. I wanted him inside of me. I felt the burning need building as Edward's lips slowly began to move down to my belly.

Once my hands were released, I made a grab for the button of his jeans. He pulled away from me and allowed me to unbutton them. I sat up and I slid his jeans down his long legs to the floor with my feet, exposing his black boxer-briefs.

Suddenly I was on my back and he was beside me, leaning over looking deep into my eyes. I licked my lips in anticipation as I looked at his perfect face, his chiselled jaw and startling eyes. His perfect full lips, slightly ajar. He was so beautiful - it hurt to look at him. And his strength…I could feel it surrounding me. He leaned in to kiss me again, this time gently…like he was savouring every moment. He softly cupped my breast again, but this time he carefully slid his hand down…down…past my stomach, until he reached the inside of my leg.

I groaned embarrassingly loud as his clever fingers made contact with my hot centre. He curved his fingers inside of me in the most incredible way - slowly sliding in and out of my slippery folds. My brain was humming and my body was on fire as the pressure began to build. The pleasure was almost too much and I began to pant. I kissed him harder, trying to match the pressure that I felt throbbing inside of me.

I pushed my own fingers inside the band of his boxers and felt him inside. Cold and hard. So smooth and perfect. He jerked away from me as I slid my fingers down his length but he didn't resist. He groaned softly as I wrapped my palm around the tip and with my other hand, attempted to slide his boxers down.

At an almost inhuman speed, Edward ripped his underwear down and was positioned on top of me, his penis hard against my inner thigh, like a rock. I gasped, trying to catch my breath as I looked at the fire in his eyes…turbulent and wild. He was panting and he looked like he was trying hard to hold onto his control. His hands held mine down on either side of my head with such force that it almost hurt…which turned me on more that I could have ever imagined.

"Yeva…I…I ..," he was almost shaking. I reached my lips up to his, kissing him hard, my teeth scraping against his lips, and in that moment I felt him let go.

He pushed hard inside of me, filling me completely. The earth stood still - electricity flowed through my veins.

I gasped at the sharp pain that exploded through my body from my breaking hymen. Edward paused for a moment on top of me and he seemed to be holding his breath…waiting for my signal.

"Yes," I whispered, almost inaudibly. He pulled out and pushed in again and the sharp pain dulled to a pleasant throbbing…building again into a pleasurable pulse. Edward began to pick up momentum as our lips moved in tandem. His hand grasped at my backside and I shivered in delight. I had never felt this before…pure bliss. The friction and heat and the ice of Edward's body was making my head spin. We picked up speed, Edward thrusting inside of me almost painfully. I felt like every fibre of my being was engorged with desire…desperation. I needed more - more friction. Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, I was hit by a wave of white pleasure so strong, it rocked my body and I cried out in ecstasy - gripping Edward's arms with so much force it hurt my fingers. Edward's body convulsed rhythmically and he released a violent growl that came from deep within him. After a moment he stilled and collapsed on top of me.

Heavy breathing.

Slowly calming, becoming quiet.

It was silent, but for the sound of our breath and the dieing fire crackled in the back ground. We lay there together, without speaking…holding each other close. Just breathing. My body hummed with euphoria as a delicious sleepiness began to pull at the corners of my mind.

After a while Edward reached down and pulled the warm down comforter up around our bodies and gathered me onto his chest. Soon I drifted into a dreamless sleep. Safe and loved. And completely satisfied.

**END NOTES: Well….? How was it for you? Review for my sanity!**


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